During surgery, who is responsible for monitoring ventilation in nonintubated patients?

• A. Circulating nurse
• B. Anesthesiologist
• C. Surgeon
• D. Unlicensed assistive personnel

Answer: (B)

Ventilation monitoring in the operating room is handled by the anesthesia team because they are responsible for maintaining the airway and ensuring adequate gas exchange throughout surgery. When a patient isn’t intubated, the anesthesiologist must continuously assess breathing status using tools like capnography to track end-tidal CO2, pulse oximetry for oxygen levels, and direct observation of chest rise and breathing effort. They can adjust anesthesia depth or provide ventilation support as needed, whether through a mask, a supraglottic device, or controlled/manual ventilation, to keep ventilation effective and safe. The circulating nurse helps with equipment and patient care but does not oversee airway management and ventilation. The surgeon focuses on the procedure itself, and unlicensed assistive personnel support tasks but do not manage airway ventilation.