This course will focus on the non-routine case, with emphasis placed on patients with special requirements and pre-existing disease, such as pregnancy, endocrine disease, cardiorespiratory diseases and trauma. More sophisticated techniques such as regional analgesia, neuromuscular blockade, positive pressure ventilation and invasive monitoring will be discussed. Management of perioperative complications will also be detailed.

Who should attend

This course will not skimp on detail! The content should be suitable for qualified VNs working in busy practices with a high surgical throughput, those studying for or planning to study for the Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing, and those working in multidisciplinary referral centres.

What the course will help the attendees to do:

• Spot the non-routine case and give it the right attention 
• Anticipate the patient's perioperative needs
• Anticipate and detect complications
• Develop an increased knowledge base
• Improve clinical skills relating to anaesthesia

Learning objectives:

By the end of this course delegates should have a thorough understanding of:

• Principles and practice of safe anaesthesia for thoracic surgery
• Essential elements of pre-operative assessment and stabilisation
• Pain recognition and the options for its management
• More advanced monitoring techniques
• Problems associated with anaesthetizing the patient with pre-existing disease