Lesson 1Anxiety assessment and nonpharmacologic interventions: communication techniques, teaching, relaxation, breathing exercises, use of anxiolyticsLooks at organised anxiety checks, helpful talking, patient education, relaxation and breathing methods, room adjustments, and knowing when to use medication for anxiety while keeping safety and patient involvement.
Validated anxiety screening toolsBuilding rapport and active listeningPreoperative education and expectationsGuided imagery and relaxation methodsBreathing exercises and coping plansLesson 2Infection prevention and skin prep: chlorhexidine bathing, hair removal policies, antibiotic prophylaxis timing and documentationDeals with stopping infections through chlorhexidine baths, hair removal ways, timing and choice of antibiotics before surgery, and record-keeping to cut down surgical site infections.
Preoperative chlorhexidine bathingHair removal methods and timingAntibiotic choice and timingMRSA screening and decolonizationDocumentation of prophylaxis stepsLesson 3Pre-transfer safety checks: ID band, verbal identity confirmation, surgical site marking, consent, allergy check, checklist reconciliationCovers standard safety checks before moving the patient, like checking ID, confirming name verbally, marking the surgery spot, checking consent, allergies, and matching checklists to avoid wrong patient, wrong site, or record mistakes.
Two-identifier patient verificationConsent presence and completenessSurgical site marking standardsAllergy and alert band reviewFinal pre-transfer checklist useLesson 4Preoperative laboratory and diagnostic review: glucose, HbA1c, electrolytes, renal function, coagulation, ECG and chest imaging indicationsExplains choosing and timing preoperative tests like glucose, HbA1c, salts, kidney function, clotting tests, heart tracing, and chest scans based on patient risks and surgery type.
Indications for serum glucose and HbA1cElectrolytes and renal function panelsCoagulation studies and bleeding riskPreoperative ECG indicationsChest imaging criteria and yieldLesson 5Comprehensive preoperative nursing assessment: vital signs, medication reconciliation, fasting status, functional status, allergies, advanced directivesOutlines a full nursing check before surgery including vital signs, matching medications, fasting check, daily function and thinking baseline, allergies, and end-of-life wishes to plan care and handovers.
Baseline vital signs and pain levelMedication reconciliation processVerifying fasting and last intakeFunctional and cognitive assessmentAllergies and advance directivesLesson 6Pre-anesthesia evaluation: airway assessment (Mallampati, neck mobility), anesthesia risk stratification, ASA classificationLooks into full checks before anaesthesia like airway tools, ASA score, other health issues, daily function, and risk levels to plan anaesthesia and monitoring.
Focused pre-anesthesia historyAirway exam and Mallampati scoringNeck mobility and dentition assessmentASA physical status classificationFunctional capacity and risk indicesLesson 7Informed consent verification and legal documentation: elements of consent, capacity checks, interpreter needsMakes clear key parts of informed consent, checking decision ability, record standards, using interpreters, and checks to follow ethics and law before surgery.
Required elements of consentAssessing capacity and voluntarinessRole of surrogate decision makersUse of interpreters and language accessDocumentation and form reviewLesson 8Fasting and carbohydrate-loading protocols: NPO timing, clear fluid rules, preop carbohydrate drink indicationsExplains proven fasting times for solids and clear liquids, when to use carb drinks before surgery, and ways to lower choking risk while easing discomfort and sugar issues.
Standard NPO timing for solidsClear fluid rules and exceptionsCarbohydrate drink indicationsContraindications to carb loadingPatient instructions and adherenceLesson 9Specific assessments for comorbidities: diabetes history, insulin regimen, blood pressure control, cardiovascular risk assessmentTargets checks for main health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease to better judge surgery risks, adjust meds, and plan monitoring and aftercare.
Detailed diabetes and insulin historyBlood pressure trends and controlCardiovascular risk scoring toolsPulmonary and sleep apnea screeningRenal and hepatic function reviewLesson 10Preoperative medication management: metformin, insulin glargine, ACE inhibitors and perioperative adjustment algorithmsReviews changes to metformin, long-acting insulin, and blood pressure meds before surgery, focusing on timing, dose cuts, avoiding low sugar, and using clear guides for safe handling.
Risk of metformin and lactic acidosisAdjusting long-acting and basal insulinsManaging ACE inhibitors and ARBsDay-of-surgery medication holding rulesSample perioperative dosing algorithms
