Anesthesia and Pain Management
Acute Pain Services
Acute Pain Services (APS) is an inter-professional team actively engages in clinical practice, research and education. Our mission is to generate and implement best practice regarding pain and symptom management, primarily for post-operative patients. We work in collaboration with the Trauma Pain Clinic and the Palliative Care Consult Team to provide optimal pain management for our patients.
The APS is available for consultation to the Sunnybrook community. Currently, the APS cares for approximately 5,500 patients annually (2,700+ at the Bayview Campus and 2,500+ at the Holland Centre).
The APS has been in existence for more than 10 years. Its main function is to provide pain and symptom (nausea/vomiting/pruritus) management to post-operative patients. The APS is currently comprised of four full-time equivalent Nurse Practitioners and one Medical Director. Staff Anesthesiologists, Fellows and Residents rotate through the APS daily/weekly.
Anesthesia Assistants (AAs)
Anesthesia Assistants (AAs) are Respiratory Therapists or Registered Nurses who have undergone post-graduate training and function as assistants and clinical extenders to the Anesthesiologist. As valued members of the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT) at Sunnybrook, AAs participate in the anesthetic care of surgical patients undergoing general, regional and local anesthesia.
Under the direction and supervision of the responsible Anesthesiologist, AAs assess, monitor, and initiate interventions required to maintain anesthesia, hemodynamic stability and hemostasis. AAs provide care to various surgical services, including Cardiac, Vascular, Cath Lab, Trauma, Burns, Ophthalmology, Interventional Radiology, and Labour and Delivery. In addition to the OR, PACU and the block room, AAs also service all satellite areas at all Sunnybrook campuses where anesthesia may be involved.
Nurse Practitioners for Anesthesia (NP-A)
At the Preadmission Clinic, pre-operative patients will be assessed by Anesthesiologists/NP-As, Internists, Nurses and Occupational Therapists. Medical history, physical examination, preoperative preparation and post-operative rehab education, ECG, blood work and X-rays will be done here. Medical specialties, such as Cardiologists, Respiratologists, Hematologists and Neurologists may be referred, as well as Primary Care Physicians for follow-up if need. Thorough, preoperative assessment and management of other medical conditions will prepare patients in their best possible condition to meet the challenges of the surgery and smooth their recovery. The role of an NP-A at preadmission contributes to coordinate the service, provide patient, family and student education, and improve patient satisfaction and access to care.
