Anna Pride

Qualifications

BSc Nursing, PG Dip Anaesthesia

Specialisms

Theatre Recovery & Anaesthetics. Also works as a school nurse in a secondary school.

Introduction

Since qualifying as a nurse in 1999, my experience in the hospitals (both NHS and private) has been surgical based.  After qualifying I worked in London in a busy day surgery unit where I rotated around the different areas of pre-assessment, ward, recovery and anaesthetics.  It was here that my interest in anaesthetics developed and I became an Anaesthetic Nurse where my role was to assist the anaesthetist. Wanting to learn more and progress my career, in 2005 I subsequently went on the training programme at the University of Hertfordshire to become one of the first Physician's Assistants (Anaesthesia), now known as Anaesthesia Associates.  

As a qualified Physician's Assistant in London, I became competent in the skill of delivering general anaesthesia.  This included pre-assessing patients on the day of surgery, induction of general anaesthesia (cannulation - both central and peripheral), airway management with/without adjuncts (including endotracheal tube and supraglottic airway device placement), maintaining anaesthesia and emergence of anaesthesia (including extubation).  I was also responsible for administering 'conscious' sedation for patients where a general anaesthetic was not required or deemed unsuitable.  Whilst working as a Physician's Assistant I also introduced and ran a 'Central Venous Access service' which involved assessing patients for CVP or PICC lines, siting them using gold standard techniques,  reviewing X-rays to check line placement and then auditing the lines until they were removed.  

Since leaving the role of Physician's Assistant when I moved away from London, I have continued my interest in anaesthesia by undertaking regular work in recovery.  This involves looking after patients immediately post operatively until they are ready to be discharged back to the ward.  Skills required in recovery are airway management, monitoring the patient, recording and acting on observations, pain control, patient assessment and cannulation.  I also undertake occasional Anaesthetic Nurse work (assisting the anaesthetist), airway management and patient assessment in the endoscopy unit.

Over the past seven years I have also worked regular shifts in private secondary schools as a school nurse.  Skills and responsibilities in this area include assessing and treating sports injuries, assessing head injuries, assessing and treating general injuries, assessing illnesses and treating or referring to other health care providers as necessary, mental health care, emergency care, urinalysis, diabetic care and venepuncture as requested by the visiting GP.

I accept instructions from both claimant and defendant solicitors and insurers. I have undergone formal training in the medico-legal process and am fully aware of my responsibilities under Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) pertaining to expert witnesses.