Anaesthetic Monitoring and Troubleshooting: A Guide for Veterinary Nurses

Veterinary nurses are crucial in ensuring safe and effective anaesthesia through monitoring, troubleshooting, and careful drug administration.

Anaesthesia is a routine yet high-risk part of veterinary care, and your role in monitoring and troubleshooting is critical to patient safety. 

Pre-Anaesthesia Prep: Set Up for Success

A well-prepared nurse is a life-saving nurse! Go beyond setting up equipment and drawing up drugs—effective planning, teamwork, and communication are key to reducing anaesthetic risks. A thorough patient assessment can identify risk factors and help tailor anaesthetic protocols for the best outcomes.

Anaesthetic Safety Checks: Avoid Equipment Failures

Many anaesthetic complications stem from equipment issues—poor maintenance, lack of familiarity, or missing key steps in setup. A complete pre-anaesthetic safety check is essential for smooth anaesthesia. Always double-check:

•  Equipment functionality
•  Proper drug preparation and labelling
•  Emergency drug calculations (but avoid drawing them up too early!)
• Basic Patient Parameters - Our Veterinary Monitoring Clipboard is perfect!

Troubleshooting Anaesthetic Complications

Even with the best preparation, complications can arise. The most common issues include:

•  Hypotension (low blood pressure)
•  Hypoventilation (shallow breathing)
•  Hypoxaemia (low oxygen levels)
•  Hypothermia (low body temperature)
•  Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)

Understanding these complications and recognising early warning signs allows you to respond quickly and effectively to keep your patient stable.

Stay Sharp, Stay Safe!

Veterinary nurses are the backbone of safe anaesthesia. By staying vigilant, continuing education, and using resources like our Anaesthetic Troubleshooting Guide, you can enhance patient safety and improve anaesthetic outcomes.

📖 📖 Download the Anaesthetic Troubleshooting Guide now and master anaesthetic safety!