Guidelines, Statements, Clinical Resources

COVID-19 Position Statements and Guidance

Find ASA COVID-19 statements, recommendations and resources in response to the pandemic.

Standards

• Basic Standards for Preanesthesia Care
• Standards for Basic Anesthetic Monitoring
• Standards for Postanesthesia Care

Practice Guidelines

• Acute Pain Management in the Perioperative Setting
• Central Venous Access
• Management of the Difficult Airway (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Obstetric Anesthesia
• Perioperative Blood Management
• Perioperative Management of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Moderate Procedural Sedation and Analgesia
• Postanesthetic Care
• Preoperative Fasting and the Use of Pharmacologic Agents to Reduce the Risk of Pulmonary Aspiration
• Prevention, Detection and Management of Respiratory Depression Associated with Neuraxial Opioids Administration
• Pulmonary Artery Catheterization
• Transesophageal Echocardiography

Practice Advisories & Alerts

• Anesthetic Care Related to Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Intraoperative Awareness and Brain Function Monitoring
• Perioperative Management of Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices
• Perioperative Management of Patients with Coronary Artery Stents
• Perioperative Visual Loss Associated with Spine Surgery
• Preanesthesia Evaluation
• Prevention and Management of Operating Room Fires
• Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Infectious Complications Associated with Neuraxial Techniques
• Prevention of Perioperative Peripheral Neuropathies

Statements

• Distinguishing Monitored Anesthesia Care from Moderate Sedation Analgesia
• Policy Statement on Practice Parameters (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Position on Monitored Anesthesia Care
• Pregnancy Testing Prior to Anesthesia and Surgery (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Recommendations for Safe Injection Practices (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Reducing Maternal Peripartum Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Anesthesia Care (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement Comparing Anesthesiologist Assistant and Nurse Anesthetist Education and Practice
• Statement on Burnout (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Creating a Culture of Well-Being for Health Care Workers (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Labeling of Pharmaceuticals for Use in Anesthesiology
• Statement on Lactation Among Anesthesia Clinicians (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Post-Dural Puncture Headache Management (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement of Principles Trauma Anesthesiology
• Statement on Administration of Medications
• Statement on Compensation Equity Among Anesthesiologists
• Statement on Security of Medications in the Operating Room
• Statement on Students Involved in Anesthesia Care (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Substance Use Disorder
• Statement of Support for Respiratory Therapists (RTs)
• Statement on Anesthetic Care during Interventional Pain Procedures for Adults (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Statement Comparing Anesthesiologist Assistant and Nurse Anesthetist
• Statement on Conflict of Interest
• Statement on Controlled Organ Donation After Circulatory Death
• Statement on Developing Policy for Infection Prevention Related to Surgical Attire
• Statement on Distractions
• Statement on Documentation of Anesthesia Care
• Statement on Drug Concentration Standardization
• Statement on Economic Credentialing
• Statement on Fatigue (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Granting Privileges for Administration of Moderate Sedation to Practitioners Who are Not Anesthesia Professionals (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Granting Privileges to Nonanesthesiologist Physicians Supervising Deep Sedation
• Statement on Intravascular Catheterization Procedures
• Statement on Nonoperating Room Anesthetizing Locations
• Statement on Palliative Care
• Statement on Personal Leave
• Statement on Physician-Led Anesthesia Care
• Statement on Physician Nonparticipation in Legally Authorized Executions
• Statement on Practice of Pain Medicine
• Statement on Practice Recommendations for Pediatric Anesthesia (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Statement on Principles for Alarm Management for Anesthesia Professionals
• Statement on Privileging for Chronic Pain Management
• Statement on Professionalism
• Statement on Qualifications of Anesthesia Providers in the Office Based Setting
• Statement on Regional Anesthesia
• Statement on Reporting Postoperative Pain Procedures in Conjunction with Anesthesia
• Statement on Respiratory Monitoring During Endoscopic Procedures
• Statement on Resuming Breastfeeding after Anesthesia
• Statement on Safe Use of Propofol
• Statement on Sedation and Anesthesia Administration in Dental Office Based Settings
• Statement on Smoking Cessation
• Statement on Standard Practice for Avoidance of Medication Errors in Neuraxial Anesthesia
• Statement on the Aging Anesthesiologist
• Statement on the Anesthesia Care Team
• Statement on the Ethical Considerations with Drug Shortages
• Statement on the Interoperability of Medical Devices
• Statement on the Regulation of the Practice of Medicine by Third-Party Payors (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement on the Role of Anesthesiologists in the Practice of Adult Critical Care Medicine (Approved October 13, 2021)
• Statement on the Role of Registered Nurses in the Management of Continuous Regional Analgesia
• Statement on Transesophageal Echocardiography 
• Statement Regarding Respiratory Care Practitioner Credentialing
• The Medical Necessity of Anesthesiology Services American Society of Anesthesiologists' Position Statement

Expert Consensus Documents

• Advisory on Granting Privileges for Deep Sedation to Non Anesthesiologist Physicians
• ASA Physical Status Classification System
• Continuum of Depth of Sedation: Definition of General Anesthesia and Levels of Sedation/Analgesia
• Definition of Immediately Available When Medically Directing
• Distinguishing Monitored Anesthesia Care from Moderate Sedation Analgesia
• Ethical Guidelines for the Anesthesia Care of Patients with Do-Not-Resuscitate orders
• Guidelines for Ambulatory Anesthesia and Surgery
• Guidelines for Delineation of Clinical Privileges in Anesthesiology
• Guidelines for Director of Liver Transplant Anesthesia
• Guidelines for the Ethical Practice of Anesthesiology
• Guidelines for Expert Witness Qualifications and Testimony
• Guidelines for Minimally Acceptable Continuing Medical Education in Anesthesiology (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Guidelines for Office Based Anesthesia
• Guidelines for Neuraxial Analgesia or Anesthesia in Obstetrics (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Guidelines for Patient Care in Anesthesiology (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
  
• Guidelines for Surgical Attire
• Guiding Principles for Management of Performance Measures by the American Society of Anesthesiologists
• Nonobstetric Surgery During Pregnancy
• Optimal Goals for Anesthesia Care in Obstetrics (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• Outcome Indicators for Office Based and Ambulatory Surgery
• Protocol for Supporting a Member's Right to Practice
• Principles for Quality Incentive Programs in Anesthesiology (Last Updated October 13, 2021)
• The Principles of Critical Care Medicine 

Other Resources from Committees