Community's Generosity of Spirit

Nita Katherine “Kathy” Babcock was active a health care professional for many years, performing duties as anesthesiologist in clinics across the Midwest. Now retired, Nita Katherine Babcock has an interest is theater and particularly enjoys taking in Broadway productions.

One current Broadway hit that was also produced for the small screen on Apple TV+ is the Canadian musical “Come From Away.” The play is about 7,000 airline passengers stranded by the events of September 11, 2001, who land in remote eastern Newfoundland. The stranded passengers are from a number of different countries, with many not speaking English, yet they are all thrown together into a community that instantly doubles in population.

As recounted in a comedic and often touching performance that features interconnected vignettes, the new inhabitants, fearful and tired at first, benefit from the generosity of the townspeople, which leaves an indelible impression on them. As reviewed in the New York Times, one of the highlights of the production is the use of traditional Irish music, reflecting the Celtic roots of the isolated region. Among the songs that resonate most deeply are the ballad “Me and the Sky” and the rousing sendoff “Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere.”

Different Types of Anesthesia

A resident of Omaha, Nebraska, Nita Katherine Babcock graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Centre with an MD in medicine in 1979. With over 40 years of experience in the medical field, Nita Katherine Babcock works with McLaren Regional Centre as a clinical anesthesiologist.

An anesthesiologist is a medical practitioner responsible for administering medication to produce a loss of sensation to patients undergoing surgery. There are four main categories of anesthesia used in surgery.

1. General anesthesia - This is the strongest type of anesthesia and is usually used for major operations such as an open heart or knee replacement surgery. A combination of medication is administered to the patient through an intravenous (IV) needle or a mask. General anesthesia leads to a loss of consciousness. While under general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist closely monitors the patient’s vital organs during the procedure.

2. Monitored anesthesia care - This type of anesthesia is usually administered to patients undergoing minimally invasive procedures such as cataract surgery and colonoscopy. It is administered through an IV. Although a patient can be heavily sedated, the difference between MAC and general anesthesia is that in MAC, a patient is not chemically paralyzed and does not need assistance with breathing.

3. Regional anesthesia - This type of anesthesia is used to numb a large part of the body while the patient remains conscious in procedures such as surgeries of the abdomen, leg, arm, or childbirth.

4. Local Anesthesia - Contrary to regional anesthesia, where a large part of the body is numbed, with local anesthesia, only a small area is numbed for procedures such as removing a mole, filling a cavity, or when having skin biopsy. The patient remains alert and awake during the process.

Categories of Anesthesia

Dr. Nita Katherine “Kathy” Babcock is a retired anesthesiologist with previous work experience in Mercy St. Mary’s Hospital and the McLaren Regional Medical Center. During her time at Campbell County Memorial Hospital and the Wyoming Medical Center, she worked as a locum tenens anesthesiologist. Being a locum tenens anesthesiologist means that Dr. Nita Katherine Babcock did temporary or fill-in anesthesiology work for these institutions.

The drugs used by anesthesiologists to eliminate and control pain are called anesthesia. Anesthesia drugs are categorized into five distinct types.

Local anesthesia blocks the transmission of pain without causing unconsciousness. Also known as regional anesthesia, this involves the injection of an anesthetic into the spinal cord or around major nerves in order to block pain in a specific region of the body.

General anesthesia affects the brain and the entire body to bring about a state of unconsciousness. This is administered via injection or through a breathing mask. In order to help respiration, patients under general anesthesia are intubated - a flexible tube is inserted down their windpipe.

Epidural anesthesia is used for surgeries below the belly button. This kind of anesthesia requires adequate hydration, so an intravenous (IV) tube is used to funnel fluids into the patient. A special needle is used to inject the drug between the vertebrae of the spinal column.

Monitored anesthesia care, or MAC, is used for minor medical procedures to promote relaxation. Administered using an IV, this kind of anesthesia is typical for procedures such as colonoscopies and biopsies.

The fifth category is sedatives. These drugs help a patient relax and remain calm, and may also be used to help the patient sleep.

Advantages of Membership with the ASA

Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Nita Katherine “Kathy” Babcock earned a doctorate degree in medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Nita Katherine Babcock is a clinical anesthesiologist at Mercy St. Mary’s Hospital and previously served as an associate professor at Creighton University from 1999 to 2013. Dr. Babcock maintains membership with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

Established in 1905, the ASA exists to promote the highest standards possible within the field of anesthesiology and to support medical anesthesiologists and their associated professionals. Membership with the organization provides a range of benefits including gaining access to the journal Anesthesiology, a leading industry publication, and the ASA Monitor, a publication that focuses on disseminating education about perioperative health care. In addition, members receive regular news updates through information resources including Monday Morning Outreach and ASAP Weekly.

Members of the ASA are invited to participate in ASA Community, an internet-based platform dedicated to connecting peers and fostering collaboration to participate in the society’s advocacy initiatives. Other benefits of membership include receiving discounts on leadership development courses and gaining access to the ASA Career Centre which contains a range of career support resources.