{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-3-1206.31","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 3-1206.31","heading":"Scope of practice.","body":"(a)\nAn anesthesiologist assistant shall be licensed by the Board of Medicine before administering anesthesia within the District of Columbia.\n\n(b)\nAn individual licensed to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant, as that practice is defined in § 3-1201.02(2A), shall have the authority to:\n(1)\nObtain a comprehensive patient history, perform relevant elements of a physical examination, and present the history to the supervising anesthesiologist;\n(2)\nPretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and obtain and interpret information from the systems and monitors, in consultation with an anesthesiologist;\n(3)\nAssist the supervising anesthesiologist with the implementation of medically accepted monitoring techniques;\n(4)\nEstablish basic and advanced airway interventions, including intubation of the trachea and performing ventilatory support;\n(5)\nAdminister intermittent vasoactive drugs and start and adjust vasoactive infusions;\n(6)\nAdminister anesthetic drugs, adjuvant drugs, and accessory drugs, including narcotics;\n(7)\nAssist the supervising anesthesiologist with the performance of epidural anesthetic procedures, spinal anesthetic procedures, and other regional anesthetic techniques;\n(8)\nAdminister blood, blood products, and supportive fluids;\n(9)\nProvide assistance to a cardiopulmonary resuscitation team in response to a life-threatening situation;\n(10)\nMonitor, transport, and transfer care to appropriate anesthesia or recovery personnel;\n(11)\nParticipate in administrative, research, and clinical teaching activities, as authorized by the supervising anesthesiologist; and\n(12)\nPerform such other tasks that an anesthesiologist assistant has been trained and is proficient to perform.\n\n(c)\nAnesthesiologist assistants shall not:\n(1)\nPrescribe any medications or controlled substances;\n(2)\nPractice or attempt to practice unless under the supervision of an anesthesiologist who is immediately available for consultation, assistance, and intervention;\n(3)\nPractice or attempt to administer anesthesia during the induction or emergence phase without the personal participation of the supervising anesthesiologist; or\n(4)\nAdminister any drugs, medicines, devices, or therapies the supervising anesthesiologist is not qualified or authorized to prescribe.\n\n(d)\n(1)\nThe supervising anesthesiologist shall be immediately available to participate directly in the care of the patient whom the anesthesiologist assistant and the anesthesiologist are jointly treating, and shall at all times accept and be responsible for the oversight of the health care services rendered by the anesthesiologist assistant.\n(2)\nA supervising anesthesiologist shall be present during the induction and the emergence phases of a patient to whom anesthesia has been administered.\n(3)\nA supervising anesthesiologist may supervise up to 4 anesthesiologist assistants at any one time.\n(4)\nNo faculty member of an anesthesiologist assistants program shall concurrently supervise more than 2 anesthesiologist assistant students who are delivering anesthesia.\n\n(e)\nFor the purposes of this section, the term:\n(1)\n“Anesthesiologist” means a physician who has completed a residency in anesthesiology approved by the American Board of Anesthesiology or the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the District of Columbia.\n(2)\n“Immediately available” means the supervising anesthesiologist is:\n(A)\nPresent in the building or facility in which anesthesia services are being provided by an anesthesiologist assistant; and\n(B)\nAble to directly provide assistance to the anesthesiologist assistant in providing anesthesia services to the patient in accordance with the prevailing standards of:\n(i)\nAcceptable medical practice;\n(ii)\nThe American Society of Anesthesiologists’ guidelines for best practice of anesthesia in a care team model; and\n(iii)\nAny additional requirements established by the Board of Medicine through a formal rulemaking process.\n(3)\n“Supervision” means directing and accepting responsibility for the anesthesia services rendered by an anesthesiologist assistant in a manner approved by the Board of Medicine.","path":["Title 3. District of Columbia Boards and Commissions.","Chapter 12. Health Occupations Boards.","Subchapter VI-B. Anesthesiologist Assistants; Scope of Practice; License Renewal; Transition; Council Hearing."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/3-1206.31","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"5fe09394329e1767b32ea85c5079f398f1f2ec1459c76c47c080fc0542752281","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-3-1206.22","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-3-1206.32"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}