Certified Anesthesia Assistant

CommonSpirit Health; Durango (CO); On-site; USD 145,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Generous CME allowance

Sign-on bonus

Relocation assistance

Student loan assistance

Rural stipend

Productivity and quality bonuses

Mentorship Program

Job summary

CommonSpirit Health's Mercy Hospital in Durango, CO is seeking a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant to deliver comprehensive anesthesia care under physician direction. The role emphasizes patient safety, pre-anesthetic evaluation, anesthesia planning, intraoperative management, and PACU oversight in an inpatient setting.

You will collaborate with surgeons, nurses, and other providers, participate in teaching and quality improvement, and enjoy a flexible inpatient schedule including call

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited AA program.
• Current Colorado CAA license.
• NCCAA certification required.
• BLS and ACLS certification; PALS/ATLS as needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide anesthesia care under physician direction.
• Conduct pre-anesthetic evaluations and plan anesthesia.
• Manage intraoperative anesthesia and monitor patient status.
• Oversee PACU care and post-anesthetic complications.
• Collaborate with surgeons, nurses, and staff.
• Document care and support quality improvement.

Skills

CAA license

Pre-anesthetic evaluation

Intraoperative care

Patient safety

Education

Master’s degree (preferred)

Accredited AA program graduate

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) with our physician-centric organization, you will join a dedicated team delivering top-quality, accessible anesthesia care within the community's hospital setting. We are committed to supporting our CAAs so you can focus entirely on patient well-being during surgical and procedural interventions. Our comprehensive resources are designed to streamline administrative tasks and enhance your practice within this dynamic inpatient environment. In your practice, you will engage in a flexible work schedule, typically involving dedicated inpatient shifts (e.g., call rotation models, block scheduling, or similar). You will be responsible for providing comprehensive anesthesia care under the medical direction of an anesthesiologist, including pre-anesthetic evaluations, formulating and executing anesthesia plans, vigilant intraoperative management, and post-anesthetic care unit (PACU) oversight. This role demands strong clinical acumen for managing a diverse range of patient populations and surgical complexities, from routine procedures to critical emergencies. You will collaborate closely with anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurses, hospitalists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure seamless patient transitions and optimal perioperative outcomes. To be successful in this role, you will be a board-certified CAA committed to upholding the highest standards of medical ethics and customary practice. You will possess exceptional clinical skills in all aspects of anesthesia and a passion for providing compassionate, high-value care to patients undergoing surgical and diagnostic procedures.

Comprehensive Perioperative Anesthesia Care

Be responsible for all aspects of anesthetic care, ensuring patient safety and comfort throughout the surgical and procedural journey, working collaboratively within the Anesthesia Care Team model.

Pre-Anesthetic Assessment & Planning

Conduct thorough pre-anesthetic patient evaluations, optimize patient conditions, and collaborate with the Anesthesiologist to formulate individualized anesthesia plans.

Intraoperative Anesthesia Management

Administer and manage all types of anesthesia (general, regional, local, MAC), continuously monitor physiological parameters, and respond effectively to emergent situations under the supervision of an anesthesiologist.

Post-Anesthetic Care

Oversee patient recovery in the PACU, manage pain, and address post-anesthetic complications.

Collaboration and Communication

Actively participate in the surgical team, communicating effectively with Anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurses, and other specialists, and providing pertinent updates to patients and families as appropriate.

Documentation and Quality Improvement

Accurately document all anesthetic care for patient record and billing purposes, and contribute to continuous quality improvement initiatives within the department.

Education and Mentorship

Support the teaching of anesthesia students and other healthcare trainees as needed.

Benefits and Perks

• competitive base salary guaranteed for up to three years
• generous CME allowance
• sign-on bonus
• relocation assistance (for those that meet the eligibility requirements)
• student loan assistance
• rural stipend
• productivity and quality bonuses
• Mentorship Program

Job Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited Anesthesiologist Assistant educational program required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Current, unrestricted Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) license in the state of Colorado required.
• Current certification by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) required.
• Current BLS and ACLS from the American Heart Association required.
• PALS and/or ATLS may be required depending on practice setting or specific credentialing requirements.

Physical Requirements

Medium Work - (Exert up to 50lbs force occasionally, and/or up to 20lbs frequently, and/or up to 10lbs constantly)

Where You'll Work

Mercy Hospital is an 82 bed, acute care hospital located in the scenic southwestern Colorado town of Durango. It is the only hospital in Colorado to be rated by Medicare with five stars for overall hospital quality. It is recognized for excellence in orthopedic and spine surgery and for outstanding patient experience and patient safety. Mercy has also received ten consecutive 'A' grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group. Our providers use state-of-the-art technology in an environment designed to promote wellbeing and healing of body, mind, and spirit. Among the many specialty services available at Mercy are emergency care (Level III trauma designation), surgical care, cardiac care (including interventional), Orthopedic and Spine Centers of Excellence, a Family Birthing Center, home care, hospice care and more. Durango offers an exceptional quality of life with small town charm, excellent schools, and year-round, world-class outdoor recreation opportunities including snow sports, river sports, hiking, biking, camping and more.

Pay Range

$145,264 - $172,154 /year