New wave of skilled anaesthetic nurses across country WA

WA Country Health Service is celebrating the graduation of its first cohort of anaesthetic nurses trained through the nationally endorsed AnaesAssist Academy program.

A total of 10 nurses - from Broome, Karratha, Geraldton, Busselton, Kalgoorlie and Narrogin - have successfully completed the training, marking a major milestone in strengthening perioperative care across country WA.

AnaesAssist Academy is a recognised leader in peri anaesthesia education. The competency-based program blends live lectures, hands-on workshops, supervised practice and on-demand resources.

Aligning with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists’ PS08 standard and backed by leading nursing bodies, the program equips nurses with advanced technical and non-technical skills to deliver safe and effective anaesthetic care.

The curriculum covers everything from anaesthetic pharmacology and definitive airway management, through to crisis response, day surgery care and paediatric and obstetric anaesthesia.

Delivered online with interactive tutorials and workplace logbooks, the program allows country nurses to access training while continuing to support their local communities.

WA Country Health Service Acting Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery Evelyn Quinn said the specialised program is bolstering clinical skill sets - leading to better patient outcomes and a stronger health workforce in country WA.

“We are immensely proud of our graduates, who have shown dedication to developing their clinical skills through the AnaesAssist program,” she said.

“They will now be able to apply their extended knowledge to the clinical environment – including in equipment preparation, supporting patients through induction and emergence from anaesthesia, and responding to intraoperative changes.

“Their success is a win for their communities, their colleagues and the patients they care for and is a wonderful example of our commitment to professional development and growing our own.”

The program runs over a full year, with participants completing 16 weeks of introductory concepts followed by 32 weeks of transitional practice, supported by tutorials, webinars and clinical assessments.

The success of the first cohort paves the way for the second group, who have already commenced training and are set to graduate early next year.