The traditional role of the operating room Respiratory Therapist has included providing technical support to the anesthesiologist for the proper use and maintenance of the anesthetic gas machine, in addition to also providing airway management.
 In Ontario, Canada, this role in the operating room has evolved to include a more advanced and specialized role with increasing responsibilities to the Respiratory Therapist.
This "anesthesia assistant" is a distinct occupation from the American "anesthesiologist assistant".
These Canadian Respiratory Therapists are academically prepared to perform activities such as sedation by the administration of anesthetic gases and medications, insertion and management of vascular (arterial and venous) access and assessment of the depth of anesthesia under the guidance of an anesthesiologist.
 This role is similar to the nurse anesthetist, except that an Anesthesia Assistant must have an anesthesiologist supervising them and a nurse anesthetist, does not.
The traditional role of the operating room Respiratory Therapist has included providing technical support to the anesthesiologist for the proper use and maintenance of the anesthetic gas machine, in addition to also providing airway management.  In Ontario, Canada, this role in the operating room has evolved to include a more advanced and specialized role with increasing responsibilities to the Respiratory Therapist. This "anesthesia assistant" is a distinct occupation from the American "anesthesiologist assistant". These Canadian Respiratory Therapists are academically prepared to perform activities such as sedation by the administration of anesthetic gases and medications, insertion and management of vascular (arterial and venous) access and assessment of the depth of anesthesia under the guidance of an anesthesiologist.  This role is similar to the nurse anesthetist, except that an Anesthesia Assistant must have an anesthesiologist supervising them and a nurse anesthetist, does not.
Respiratory therapist