Caitlan Noble started her career in marketing, but after discovering vocational training options to work in healthcare, her love for science won out
Helping patients get through one of the most anxious times in their life is just part of a day’s work for Caitlan, an anaesthetic technician.
Her daily tasks include preparing and monitoring patients under anaesthetic, assisting in airway management, distributing medication, ambulance transfers and transfusing blood products.
“Essentially, we’re doing everything we can to assist the anaesthetist to ensure patients are kept safe during their anaesthetic and surgery,” she says.
But Caitlan’s initial career was completely different — with an interest in both science and English, Caitlan says choosing a pathway after Year 12 was quite difficult.
“Initially I was accepted into university to study journalism but shortly after I realised that was no longer my passion.”
“I completed a degree in marketing and public relations but still didn’t feel fulfilled, and eventually looked at options for studying things relating to biology and healthcare; that’s where I came across the Diploma of Anaesthetic Technology,” Caitlan says.
Now Caitlan is doing a job where she loves the variety, and uses critical thinking and problem-solving every day.
“I really enjoy that we are often the first to receive a patient for surgery. We have a short 15-minute window prior to the operating room to learn as much as we can about our patients, not only clinically, but to also build a rapport so they feel safe and at ease for their operation.”
Plus, in her hospital, anaesthetic technicians are part of the code blue emergency response team on call to help during times of crisis.
“Being a contributing member of a team that has helped save someone’s life is a pretty special feeling,” Caitlan says.
She encourages students to explore all their options in high school.
“There are so many careers out there that you wouldn’t have even heard of or known existed and it’s okay to try different things out until you find the right career that you are passionate about.”
Caitlan’s study and career path to becoming an anaesthetic technician
- Bachelor of Communications (Marketing & PR), Curtin University
- Diploma of Anaesthetic Technology, North Metropolitan TAFE
- Emergency Department Clerical Officer, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
- Anaesthetic technician, King Edward Memorial Hospital
This profile was brought to you in partnership with the National Careers Institute and a version of it was originally published in Careers with STEM: Science.
