Anesthesia Assistant Post-Diploma

Admission Requirements: This post-diploma program admits licensed practitioners only. You need proof of professional licensure as a Registered Respiratory Therapist or a Registered Nurse in Canada, and then meet the experience rule for your profession. RRTs must either have graduated from an RRT program within the last year, or have graduated and accumulated 2,000 hours of work experience within the last three years in critical care areas such as ICU, NICU, PACU or ER. RNs must have graduated from an RN program and have 2,000 hours of work experience within the last three years in those same critical care areas. You also need a letter of sponsorship and commitment from an anesthesia department — typically your current employer — undertaking to deliver the clinical placement; more than one clinical site may be needed to cover all the required competencies. Submit a resume detailing your education and clinical care work experience. RESIDENCY: a minimum of nine TRU credits, by distance or on campus. PLACEMENT EXAM: you sit ANES 0011, which determines your course of study — pass every subject area and you go straight into the core courses before your clinical practicum; otherwise you take the support course for each failed area, or all four support courses instead of writing the exam. BEFORE THE CLINICAL PRACTICUM you must provide proof of current Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification, pass all support and core courses, and discuss the placement requirements with your Open Learning Faculty Member and the clinical preceptor. Most students finish in under two years while continuing to work; three years is the maximum allowed.