Will AI replace Nurse Anesthetists?
AI can do 14% of the work Nurse Anesthetists do at least twice as fast. Real use has not caught up: none of their tasks show up in real AI use yet, but AI could speed up 6 of them. Robots can technically handle 4 physical tasks. 14 still need a person.
AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.
AI could do this next6 · 14% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Evaluate patients' post-surgical or post-anesthesia responses, taking appropriate corrective actions or requesting consultation if complications occur.4% of time
- Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response.4% of time
- Develop anesthesia care plans.4% of time
- Perform or evaluate the results of diagnostic tests, such as radiographs (x-rays) and electrocardiograms (EKGs).1% of time
- Obtain informed consent from patients for anesthesia procedures.1% of time
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.1% of time
Robots can technically do this4 · 18% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.Robots: purpose built settings11% of time
- Insert peripheral or central intravenous catheters.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Administer post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients' cardiovascular systems.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Select, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
Still needs a person14 · 68% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.26% of time
- Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.11% of time
- Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.6% of time
- Perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results.5% of time
- Perform or manage regional anesthetic techniques, such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks.5% of time
- Prepare prescribed solutions and administer local, intravenous, spinal, or other anesthetics, following specified methods and procedures.4% of time
- Calibrate and test anesthesia equipment.2% of time
- Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.2% of time
- Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.1% of time
- Discharge patients from post-anesthesia care.1% of time
- Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.1% of time
- Disassemble and clean anesthesia equipment.1% of time
- Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples.1% of time
- Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
Little of this work suits AI or today's robots. Most tasks depend on hands, presence or people skills.
What to do next
- Get ahead on the 6 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 4 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 14 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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