The first recorded use of anesthesia support personnel occurred during the late 1930s in England. History of the specialty shows that Sir Robert Macintosh solicited the services of Richard Salt to take care of the equipment and facilitate the administration of anesthesia (McMahon & Thompson, 1987). Since that time, the administration of anesthesia has been supported by dedicated ancillary staff to address the maintenance and operation of equipment and supplies needed to administer a safe anesthetic. Over the years, the number and complexity of surgical interventions have grown. Along with the growth have come significant advances in instrumentation and technology. This has increased the complexity of administering modern anesthetics and increased the demand for qualified support personnel. During the majority of this period, anesthesia technicians lacked a formalized training program and were trained “on the job” (on-the-job training [OJT]).

The American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT) is a nonprofit organization whose primary focus is the education of anesthesia technologists and technicians. The organization was officially founded in October 1989 when a core group of technicians met in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the overwhelming need for a formalized training program, the charter leadership was determined to legitimize the profession as well as provide educational support for the professionals practicing in this area. Realizing that they would need the support of the anesthesia providers to succeed, the timing and location for this historical meeting were fixed in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). As interest in the ASATT grew and a formalized training program was adopted, it was realized that to gain formal recognition of the importance of anesthesia support personnel, a process would need to be implemented demonstrating these individuals possessed the knowledge and qualifications to be employed as anesthesia technicians. In 1993, ASATT began laying the foundation for the development of a national certification examination. The entire process took 2 years to complete, and in May 1996, ASATT administered its very first written certification examination for anesthesia technicians. Due to the popularity of the certification exam, ASATT members expressed interest in an advanced level of certification, and in 2001, the first technologist-level exam was administered. After several years, interest waned and the exam was put on hiatus. However, as certification became more widely accepted, the technologist exam was reactivated in 2006 due to expressed interest from both technicians and employers.

As a condition of employment, the demand for certification has increased, as has the number of individuals seeking certification and taking the exam. To meet this increased demand, the ASATT began to administer the exam via computer in 2003, making it accessible year round. Due to expanded interest on the international level, ASATT began to offer a Web-based exam to those candidates in 2006.

ASATT has the only nationally recognized certifications for both anesthesia technologists and technicians. The technologist and technician certifications are endorsed by the ASA and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).

A Certification Test Development and Test Writing Committee evaluates and develops the ASATT certification standards and exam in conjunction with Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP), an organization that develops and administers certification exams. Test development is written in accordance with the standards set forth by the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA), an organization dedicated to providing educational, networking, and advocacy resources for the credentialing community. The Certification Test Development and Test Writing Committee consists of the following:

Test items are written in accordance with a detailed content outline that is specific to each level of certification. Topics include, but are not limited to, operating room (OR) environment, infection control, types of anesthesia, anesthesia machine and gas delivery, anatomy, monitors and ancillary devices, and intraoperative complications. The test items are taken directly from the suggested study reference books.

The current qualifications to take the technician exam are as follows: the candidate must (1) be actively working as an anesthesia technician with a minimum of 2 years of clinical experience and (2) be proficient in English and possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Interested applicants must complete the registration form, submit a copy of their high school diploma, submit a letter from their employer detailing their work experience, and pay the required fees. Once the application is processed, applicants are notified via e-mail when they may register to take the examination. The applicant will then have 90 days to register for the examination. Candidates who do not register within that time limit will forfeit all fees and have to restart the process.