At Nebraska Medicine and in hospitals around the globe, anesthesia providers rely on anesthesia technicians to clean and restock equipment and supplies between every case. The techs’ contributions help make patient care as safe and efficient as possible.
In honor of Anesthesia Tech Week, March 29 – April 4, as recognized by the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT), we extend gratitude to and shine light on these outstanding colleagues.
"Our anesthesia technicians go above and beyond to ensure that we have everything we need to provide the best care to our patients in a timely fashion," said Kyle Ringenberg, MD, clinical director and medical director of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. "And they do all this with a great attitude and a friendly demeanor! They are a vital component of our team."
The Department of Anesthesiology utilizes seven anesthesia techs on main campus, and one each at Bellevue Health Center and the Fritch Surgery Center within the Lauritzen Outpatient Center. They are:
Jackie Barillas
Michelle Janky
Tim Johnson
Ingrid Olson
Ted Raven
Beverly Schiernbeck (Bellevue)
Fernando Torres (Fritch Surgery Center)
Terry Williams
Erica Wyatt
Two of these techs have served the hospital for decades and are deserving of special praise, leaders say.
"Honestly, when I think of Anesthesia Tech Week, I think of Tim Johnson," said Tiffany Olson, associate director of nurse anesthesia. "When I started my training 13 years ago, I quickly learned that Tim is the person you call when your ventilator needs troubleshooting during the morning machine check—he knows everything there is to know about the inner workings of the machine. In fact, he's still the first person I call to this day!"
Johnson has been an anesthesia tech since 1980. He was previously employed by Clarkson Hospital and joined Nebraska Medicine with the merger.
"Forty-one years of experience and service is a huge asset to our department," said Tim Glidden, director of nurse anesthesia. "I think Tim has seen every type of machine malfunction and has the ability to fix almost all of them. He has a keen sense of what a provider will need before, during and after each case. We are blessed to have his experience at Nebraska Medicine."
Additionally, Beverly Sheirnbeck at Bellevue Health Center is a standout. Sherinbeck has been an anesthesia tech since 1975, and has been the sole anesthesia tech at Bellevue Health Center since it opened 11 years ago.
"Bev knows exactly what each provider likes to use and caters room turnovers to suit," said Glidden. "She always has the answer to our equipment needs. The entire staff at Bellevue appreciates all that Bev does above and beyond her responsibilities; we often hear compliments. She is a tremendous asset to the Bellevue Anesthesia Team."
"Bev is one of the hardest working employees in the department," said Jolyn Carlson, nurse anesthesia lead at Bellevue Health Center. "She deserves a lot of credit for her work behind the scenes to keep the surgery schedule running smoothly. She always anticipates what the anesthesia staff will need in their rooms, and is ready and waiting to turn over the OR after a case completes. In addition to her work ethic, she is one of the kindest people we interact with each day. We are lucky to have Bev on our team."
To help celebrate, Olson arranged for the techs to receive a snack and small gift.
Anesthesia Technicians Draw Praise
