Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and IC Medicine

Our Team      Photogallery

A brief overview of the Anesthesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Specialized Center

In the Specialized Center of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care Medicine we provide anesthesia services for the whole hospital and comprehensive care for patients in critical condition, as well as, postoperative care for patients recovering after difficult surgeries.

We provide around 30.000 anesthesia procedures for adults and about 11.000 anesthesia procedures for children each year.

Our center consists of 5 departments – Adult Anesthesia, Pediatric Anesthesia, Patient’s Wards for Adults, Patient’s Wards for Children, and the Department of Chronical, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care. 

How will your detailed schedule look like? What kind of surgeries, procedures, methods or treatment can you observe? Check what can you see by shadowing every member of the mentoring team.

Is this specialty placement ideal for you?

  • This placement is ideal for you if you are already experienced in the healthcare environment and advanced in your studies as shadowing anesthesiologist in various departments across the hospital brings you an unique opportunity to discover various specialties and procedures. Check the daily schedule of your mentoring team, the members work in Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, ARU, Orthopedics, Gynecology, Pediatric Surgery and many other departments. This type of placement is very intense while observing longer surgeries.
  • This placement is a great opportunity for those of you, who want to become doctors one day. Anesthesiology is an all embracing specialty and you will work with adults and children, where different approach is applied. Another part of our specialized centre, the Resuscitation Unit for Adults and Children, focuses on the same specialties, is more suitable for students who would like to become nurses. If you are uncertain about your desired profession, but you are interested in this specialty, applying for placement in both sections of the hospital is an ideal solution.

Let's take a closer look at the specialties…

Our center covers 3 branches of medicine. The first specialty is anesthesiology and the treatment of chronical pain, which offers various techniques of desensitization using pharmacological methods or alternative approaches such as Hypnos-anesthesia or acupuncture.

The second one is resuscitation that requires early cardiopulmonary arrest recognition, quick actions from trained staff who initiate Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) with the use of medicaments and defibrillators or other special equipment when needed. This urgent performance is called “Advanced Life Support” (ALS). 

Our third specialty is the intensive care medicine and deals with critically ill patients who have life-threating conditions and require professional organ support and incessant monitoring.

Now you can see that to provide the care the constant presence of our team members is necessary, who are ready for immediate treatment. We, as your mentoring team, are responsible for monitoring and securing the vital functions of the patient during surgery, perform inhalation anesthesia either with or without intubation, and also assist in postoperative care while tracking the patient’s condition. Since the anesthetists assist during most surgeries, you will witness a large spectrum of specialized operations within various surgical departments. For example Neurosurgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and other specialties.

Nowadays, we employ 120 doctors, almost 300 nurses, and dozens of other healthcare and non-healthcare employees. Our workplace is the biggest of its type, not only in the University Hospital in Motol, but in the Czech Republic as well. In 2014, a total of 1.327 patients were hospitalized here. Out of it, 727 patients were adults, 566 were children, and 32 patients needed chronic intensive care.

The Center consists of these departments:

Our center is divided into 5 sections – Adult Anesthesia, Pediatric Anesthesia, Patient's Wards for Adults, Patient's Wards for Children, and the Department of Chronical, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care. Something to think about, every day our anesthesiologists work on 60 operating rooms simultaneously. In 2014 we reconstructed the rooms with acute intensive care beds for adults with 22 fully equipped beds of the latest technology.

We are a leading and coordinating center for the postgraduate education of doctors and nurses and we arrange trainings for anesthesiologists and other specialists, too. Our center also ensures the teaching of students who are in the process of their Master's degree program and the Bachelor's course of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine, as well as, other students from international education programs.

Who do we take care of?

We take comprehensive care of patients with chronical obstructive lung disease, patients who have had a cerebral-crania injury, stroke, or other multiple trauma, patients with myasthenia gravis, neurological degenerative diseases, and all other patients that have medical conditions requiring long-term therapy, specialized rehabilitation, and nutritive support.

Our methods and procedures

Our numerous treatment methods and procedures include routine sonographic techniques in nerve block anesthesia and safe vascular inputs for adults and children:

  • Peripheral nerve blocks for pediatric and adult patients
  • Analgosedation especially for pediatric patients and also for adult patients
  • Sonography for early diagnosis of bleeding in cavities of traumatized patients
  • The latest video laryngoscope method in cases of difficult intubation, including one-use intubation instruments
  • Combined neuraxial blockades for replacements of major joints (hip, knee)
  • Routine neuromuscular blockade reversal after anesthesia
  • Routine monitoring of cerebral oximetry during surgeries of extracorporeal circulation and the use of deep hypothermia

And there’s much more that you can observe!

How does the usual schedule look like?

  • You will have to get up very early as the mentors’ itinerary is very busy right from the morning. The hours spent in the hospital will differ daily according to the schedule and length of surgeries and other procedures. Always ask your mentor when and where you should meet him or her for the following day and you can also ask about their itinerary so you are prepared. There also might be some situations when your mentor contacts you out of the daily schedule when some interesting procedure occurs.

If you are not sure whether this choice is suitable for you, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will discuss your experience and motivation and come up with the best solution for you.

Our Team


Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Tereza Koňasová

Anesthesiologist

Doctor


When I studied medicine everybody around me was sure about the specialty they want to pursue. But I was interested in everything. I enjoyed anatomy or histology classes; I was happy to assist in the surgeries or examine the patients in internal medicine. I was fascinated by the infectious diseases as well as the current oncology treatment possibilities. The breaking point came when I was in the 5th year of my studies, and I chose ARU for my internship. I was so excited as the specialty was the combination of everything I like - you need to know surgery, internal medicine, infectious diseases and other fields to be good at what we do. We, as anesthesiologists and intensive medicine doctors, need to see the patient as a whole. So the choice was finally clear to me. ARU is a broad field where you need to think fast and orient quickly under challenging situations. You work with your head, and your hands and adrenalin is a natural side effect. On top of that this field makes sense to me. We can operate the previously inoperable thanks to anesthesia and to provide comfort and pain relief to the patient. The intensive care gives hope to critically ill patients. So I am more than happy about my final decision.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

Because of my own experience. When I was 11 years old, I had a severe accident and lost a lot of blood. We were living in the countryside, and the help was quite far so I thought I would die. But the healthcare professionals saved my life, and I felt so much gratitude that it seems evident to me that this is what I am supposed to do. Somebody helped me to recover, and I should help others, too. During the hospitalization and many follow-ups, I was more and more interested in all that was happening around me. How the diagnostic imaging works, what can I find out in a blood sample and much more. I admired the doctors I met during that time so when the time came, and I was supposed to choose the field for my university studies, medicine was it for me without any hesitation. I do not regret at all my choice.

To travel to a foreign country and get to know personally how the people work here is an excellent experience that you can do. I know that sometimes it takes a lot of courage, but it will help you to develop as a human being, too. And trust me, I know how you feel. In my 5th year I left as a med school student for France, to Grenoble, where I work at a french hospital Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Grenoble Aples. Apart from learning more about my future professional, I learned how to bear responsibility, work in a culturaly different environment in a foreign language and came back as more stress resistant person as well. If you choose our Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Medicine Specialized Center, I am more than happy to show you that our specialty is an excellent one!

What do I love the most about my specialty?

I love my job, and I enjoy its complexity and daily challenges. I also appreciate the fact that I work manually and intellectually, too. What is precious to me is that every day is different. I like to think about differential diagnostics and evaluate various results to put them together like a puzzle. I love the work with people, and I am content when I can calm down the patient during the pre-anesthesia check-ups. This field makes a perfect sense to me. 

What can you see by shadowing our team?

At our job, no two working days are the same. You can never tell what the day will bring you. You will be able to see how I communicate with the patient, the anesthesiology equipment, all the different drugs we use for various types of anesthesia, arranging the airways, the technique of introduction and start of total anesthesia with intubation or a laryngeal mask.

Also insertion of a peripheral or a central venous catheter and intraarterial catheter. The inhalation or intravenous anesthesia, monitoring of vital functions constantly, the cooperation with the surgical team and also the termination of anesthesia. What is interesting about anesthesia is that every surgical field has its specifics as well as every patient and that influences the type of methods you can use.

In the Intensive Care Unit, you can see patients with very interesting diagnoses after significant interventions, accidents or traumas. You will better understand the problematics of analgosedation of a patient, pulmonary ventilation, blood circulation and all that is important at the ICU.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

I have lots of hobbies, and I that is why I enjoy doing Aikido on a regular basis, riding a mountain bike, skiing, hiking, and travel. I am passionate about visiting new countries and meeting new people and get to know their culture. I love low-cost travel, trekking. That is how I discovered Scotland, Island, France, India, Himalaya, Vietnam. That brings me to another favorite leisure time activity - photography. I have a small zoo at home as I love animals. Detective stories and spending time with my friends is a thing I never say no to. 

My motto…

Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive. cool

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Radim Kukla

Consultant

Doctor


The path to my specialization was a long one even though I had known I wanted to be a doctor since I was young. When I graduated, I started working in the University Hospital in Motol in the Specialized Center of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Intensive Medicine and soon specialized in intensive medicine in the pediatric resuscitation inpatient room. I later spent 11 years of my career in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospita l in Kuwait, which gave me the opportunity to broaden my knowledge in the field.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

When I was very young, I originally wanted to become a teacher because I love imparting knowledge to people. Later, when my cousin started studying medicine and my brother started studying veterinary medicine, I began to rethink my choice. I came to the final conclusion at 16 years of age, when I got ill and had to stay in hospital for 3 weeks. During my time there, one of the patients in the ward sadly died. I was astonished by the amazing response of the doctors and nurses, and right then I knew I needed to become a doctor. In addition, working in a teaching hospital allows me to share my knowledge with young Czech students from the Faculty of Medicine.

I have never regretted that I started working in medicine. You have to possess a certain need to care for people. Don’t be afraid of the unhappiness you may see around you: you have to be mentally strong. One great advantage of anesthesiology is that the problems are usually solved quickly and don’t last for years.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

I love the variety of procedures and the related anesthetic procedures that I collaborate on – from finger surgery to brain surgery. The number of procedures further increases if I am on call. In that case, I participate in a vast array of procedures in different specialties, such as traumatology, gynecology (from gynecological bleeding to acute C-section), urology, orthopedics, and abdominal and vascular surgery. University Hospital in Motol specializes in the majority of medical branches, including cardiac surgery, which has its own anesthesia care team. Sometimes it is difficult to fight the fatigue that can occur during surgery, but in the end it is always worth it.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

You will see the whole work process of an anesthesiologist. I will show you the preanesthetic assessment of patients that are scheduled for operations the following day. Since I work in the Specialized Center of Neurosurgery, you will primarily be able to observe the following types of procedures: spinal surgery for herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and other conditions of the vertebral column; peripheral nerve surgery for acute or chronic injuries, including peripheral nerve grafts; brain surgery for ruptured brain aneurysms, spontaneous brain hemorrhage, traumatic injuries, and benign or malignant tumors; and the surgical treatment of epilepsy via resection, which is a specialty of the University Hospital in Motol. The patient and their vital functions are constantly monitored throughout the entire surgery. As the anesthesiologist, I naturally have to be present during the entire operation, which may last long into the evening or the early hours of the morning.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

In my free time, I enjoy cycling, swimming, and taking long walks at least twice a week. During the summer, I like to spend time in the garden. I have always loved mountains, but because of my back I can’t do cross-country skiing, though I still love downhill skiing on good ski slopes.

My motto…

Promises should be kept.
Always come on time.
When you do something, do it right.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Jana Pavlíčková

Anesthesiologist

Doctor


I take care of small patients, who are always taken out of their natural environment and separated from their parents for various lengths of time. It can be a very tough experience for them. My job is to make this difficult period easier for the little patient, without pain, and to help them get home as soon as possible. Being a healthcare professional is very demanding, but that is what I love about it.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

For a long time, I was not sure about my choice for a future profession. I liked natural sciences and I struggled with math. Even when I was admitted to the Medical Faculty of the Charles University, I was not sure if I had made the right decision. However, during the first year of studying medicine I was overwhelmed. Despite the difficulty, I studied diligently and passionately. I met a lot of excellent doctors who impressed me, not only with their skills, but also with their human approach towards patients. Very soon I realized that I wanted to become one of them. So it was actually medicine that brought me to medicine.

The largest benefit of shadowing at our department is the unique chance to visit the operating rooms of one of Europe's largest hospitals and gain an insight into the various medical disciplines. The hospital environment is stressful enough for children, our job is to make this difficult period for the little patient easier, without pain, and to help him or her to be back with their parents as soon as possible.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

The most interesting part is that I encounter various medical specialties and diagnoses. Anesthesia, at first glance, can appear quite simple and monotonous. However, when you enter the field, you are able to educate and train yourself in various types of general or conduction anesthesia. You will understand that it is very interesting and challenging, both mentally and physically. What I find the most satisfying in my work is that I guide little patients through the perioperative period, which is very difficult for them, not only in large operations, but also in small and often routine procedures.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

You will be gradually introduced to all the work tasks of a pediatric-anesthetist. The smaller patients often require general anesthesia for various tests, such as an MRI, radiology, endoscopy and others. The main aspect of my work takes place in the operating rooms of pediatric surgery. You will see small surgeries such as inguinal and umbilical hernias, as well as major abdominal and thoracic surgeries in neonates and premature infants. We need to prepare the patient for larger and longer interventions, and ensure that the performance will be carried out safely. You may also witness the insertion of central venous catheters, arterial catheters, and catheters for abdominal and thoracic epidural analgesia.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

Since I have a very demanding profession, I need other activities for regeneration and regaining strength. My most favorite hobby is my family. So I spend the biggest part of my non-working time them. Among my purely personal hobbies, I enjoy yoga, running, reading, and history.

My motto…

What doesn´t kill you makes you stronger.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Andranik Sargsjan

Anesthesiologist

Doctor


Anesthesia is a relatively young field, dynamic and open to new ideas, approaches, or methods. The truth is that I can find a good balance between my professional career and family life. I would like to show you how the care of others can be fascinating and frightening at the same time. Every one of you will have the opportunity to realize the value of life, as well as the demands that are placed on healthcare professionals.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

I wanted to be a doctor since childhood. As far as I remember, I wished to be a pediatrician. I thought of children as treasures that we have to take care of and protect. As I was studying medicine, gaining experience, my view on the situation changed. I found out that it is a very complex field and I was not willing to sacrifice my whole life to focus on it. At that point I was very demotivated and I considered terminating my medical studies. Thanks to the support of my friends and the insistence of my parents, I finished my studies and started to look for another field for my specialty. And that specialty became anesthesia, which I had mainly disregarded before that point.

As a student I worked at a summer part-time job in Vermont in the USA. Therefore, I know what it means to come to a foreign country and I will do my best to help you to enjoy your stay here. I will be happy to clarify some of habits and customs that we will see together in the hospital that you will find unknown or strange, as they might be country specific.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

Being a doctor is very hard and sometimes not immediately gratifying for obvious reasons – taking care of people that are dependent on the help of others. Nevertheless, it brings the one thing that other professions cannot: the power to help a person in need, exactly when we need to deal with the incorrigible – human life.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

At first, you will recognize what is important to examine and clarify before a patient can undergo a surgery. Secondly, you will see how people react in different stressful situation; not even a language barrier will prevent you from understanding their expressions. You will be able to see the change in the patient from when you first meet them, compared to when they are getting ready to go into the operating theatre.
We anesthetize the patient with total anesthesia, regional anesthesia, or a combination of the two. The highest percentage of complications are during the introduction and termination of anesthesia – we try to prevent these situations but we need to know how to solve them if they occur. During the procedure and while the patient is under stabilized anesthesia, you as a student will have a chance to learn more about the medication or devices used in the operating theatre. I will also tell you about the physiological and pathophysiological aspects of an organism that we see during the procedure. You will have the possibility to observe the whole surgery and ask further questions about specific anesthesia.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

I love working with wood, so when I have the opportunity I immerse myself into carpentry. I also like multiple types of sports activities. If I should name some of my favorite passive activities, I like to watch movies and attend concerts. And I cannot miss spending my free time with my friends. Unfortunately, or fortunately, my big hobby is reading scientific literature.

My motto…

Dum spiro spero. (While I breathe, I hope)

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Silvie Ševčíková

Anesthesiologist

Doctor


An anesthesiologist´s main focus are vital functions - airways, consciousness, and proper blood circulation of a patient. But you need to have an insight into all areas of medicine. Every day, I realize that this profession carries a lot of responsibility, but I really enjoy this adrenaline. Anesthesia and Intensive Care undoubtedly require decisiveness and the courage to take risks. These are the reasons why I decided to work in this field.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

When I was fourteen, I had no concrete idea about my future career, but I was certain that I didn’t want to have a boring and stereotypical job. At that time, I was thinking about journalism. I liked the way journalists work, the dangerous situations, and unexpected the changes, as well as the writing, of course. But a sudden accident during snowboarding led me to the decision to become a doctor. I suffered from a fractured wrist that required surgery. The entire hospital stay was quite interesting. The environment of operating rooms, anesthesia, and the team of doctors impressed me so much that I started thinking about medicine. And since that time, I follow the motto: “Everything bad is good for something else” smile.

From my own personal experience, I highly recommend taking some time to study abroad. Although the study placements are associated with the administration and documentation, it still pays off. Internships at foreign universities were to me the most beautiful part of my medical studies. Even a layman should be able to provide first aid to maintain basic life functions. Whether you want to spend a lifetime in intensive medicine or not, I guarantee you that you will receive valuable lessons from a placement at our specialized center.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

I love the creativity in my job, and the documentation is bearable. I enjoy that I never know exactly what will happen next. Surgeries are planned but the day can vary drastically, mostly depending on the patient. The operation can be stopped even before providing anesthesia, due to the patient´s high blood pressure. The surgery plan can be changed according to a new discovery even during the operation. The same applies when the patient takes a long time to awaken from anesthesia and in the case of personal plans for leisure time after the shift, the surgeons come up with a patient who must be operated on immediately. It is truly an amazing field.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

If we meet on a day without any major surprises, we will go together to the operating room and check the anesthesia devices. Together with the nurse we will dilute drugs and prepare equipment for airway control and for infusions. We’ll have to wear sterile jackets, since the temperature in the operating rooms is low. When the doctor brings in a new patient, we go through the documentation, and check the informed consent forms. After that I introduce myself to the patient, and ask them to confirm his or her name and their date of birth. It is necessary to check the patient’s allergies, their last meal and drink, their chronic illnesses, and what medication he or she has been prescribed. Then we will connect the patient to a monitor that measures ECG, Sp02, and blood pressure. If everything is within the acceptable limits, the nurse will perform a cannulation of the peripheral veins. When the patient is to be under general anesthesia, we will carefully pre-oxygenate him or her, arrange the airways, and perform anesthesia for surgery. Another possibility is spinal or epidural anesthesia. For larger performances we need to insert a central venous catheter, usually after providing general anesthesia and inputting an arterial catheter. After the procedure, the next patient comes to the operating room and the process is repeated. If we have time, we can go for a lunch; it is important not to get lost in the hospital labyrinth.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

I love nature and I can hardly survive a day without doing some sport. My greatest passion is sport climbing. During the week especially on artificial walls, and in my free time, with humility and determination I climb on rocky paths. Likewise, I love hiking and via ferrata.
I could compare climbing to anesthesia. At first glance you can see it as a routine, but mistakes are not acceptable and can be very costly. A human being is a part of nature. Both are so unpredictable. Physicians and climbers must both pay attention to the best possible approach that they securely control.

My motto…

Everything bad is good for something, and so I think. that fate shuffles the cards and deals them. All we can do is play the game.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Martina Vrabcová

Consultant

Doctor


When you decide to become an anesthesiologist, you need to be ready for coping with the permanent stress of the job. The profession demands quick decision-making and manual skills. What is more, meeting with severely injured patients brings an intense psychological burden, especially with children. On the other hand, it is a very diverse job as it concerns the requests of multiple surgeries in various fields. When you see the patient´s relief and their improving health condition, it is very reassuring and positive.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

As I was interested in natural sciences (especially biology), I chose to study at a medical faculty, specifically general medicine. I was influenced by my own mentor from Cardiology with whom I spent 2 years in their practice during my studies in medical faculty. This personal experience was the biggest influence for me and my decision to work in intensive medicine. After the compulsory practice with adult patients, I started to specialize in pediatric anesthesia, which I like very much.

The anesthesiologist has the opportunity to guide patients through various surgeries as gently as possible. They try to relieve the patient’s pain and take part in solving a patients’ problems, sometimes even life-saving. All of these aspects are a great satisfaction. Also, a great joy are the children that I meet repeatedly, who are not afraid of going into the OR with me at all.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

I meet a lot of patients with multiple diagnoses. Thanks to a great expansion in the field of medicine and surgical procedures I still find new procedures and I have to educate myself in the field – higher polymorbidity and age of patients, surgeries of premature babies, pushing the boundaries to perform certain procedures. Anesthesiologists meet with completely healthy patients that get to the hospital due to an injury or planned minor surgery. But anesthesiologists also meet with severely diseased patients that are undergoing a demanding treatment or a surgery and taking care of them requires an interdisciplinary cooperation.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

You will have the opportunity to see multiple types of surgeries, mainly in ophthalmology, where you can meet with patients from newborns to adults of various ages. Apart from my work you will also see the work of other members of the OR, such as the surgeons themselves and the anesthesiology nurse, who prepares the tools needed for anesthesia, dilutes and administers medication. Before the surgery, I administer the anesthesia on my own or I lead and watch a younger colleague. After the program in OR I will show you what needs to be discussed with the patient before each surgery and what the anesthesiologist needs to know to provide the best care possible.

Majority of the days I work in Ophthalmology Specialized Center, but approximately once a week I work in different paediatric ORs – surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, ENT, stomatosurgery, or during MRI, gastroscopy or bronchoscopy. There I administer anesthesia according to the type of surgery – for minor surgeries total anesthesia with an intubation or a laryngeal mask. For major surgeries general anesthesia is provided in a more invasive way – insertion of a central venous catheter and intraarterial catheter or is combined with some techniques of regional anesthesia – caudal or continual epidural blockade.

In the ophthalmology ORs you will encounter various cases, such as children with retinoblastoma, intraocular surgery of glaucoma, adult patients with diabetic retinopathy, surgeries of children with inborn cataracts, operation of strabismus or of eyelid disorders.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

Even though I like my job very much, my family is very important to me as well. I have two adult daughters and my husband is also a doctor. Due to his understanding and toleration, we have managed to be fully dedicated to our jobs (working in the hospital and taking the night shifts) and at the same time taking care of our family and raising our children. I like jogging to be fit and to regenerate I practice yoga. Yoga helps me deal with stress and stay healthy enough to be able to do other sports. During the winter I enjoy skiing and in the summer I like mountain hiking and cycling. I love traveling. Visiting the Rocky Mountains in Canada and seeing the Himalayas in Nepal are some of my best experiences.

My motto…

Life is a gift and we decide what to do with it.

Photogallery

LOVE WHAT YOU DO WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT