Lesson 1Focused history taking: comorbidities, OSA screening (STOP-Bang), functional status, medication review, fasting statusThis lesson covers systematic preoperative history, stressing comorbidities, OSA screening tools like STOP-Bang, functional capacity, medication and allergy checks, and fasting status to spot changeable risks and plan anaesthesia and improvements in Zambian clinics.
Key comorbidities and past anaesthesia historySTOP-Bang and other OSA screening toolsAssessing functional capacity and exercise toleranceMedication, allergy, and anticoagulant reviewVerifying fasting status and aspiration riskLesson 2Diabetes management pre-op: glucose targets, perioperative insulin/oral hypoglycemics guidance, blood glucose testing timingThis lesson details perioperative diabetes care, including pre-op glucose goals, timing and changes to insulin and oral medicines, preventing low blood sugar, monitoring plans, and working with surgical and endocrine teams for complex cases in Zambia.
Pre-op glucose targets and reasonsAdjusting basal and bolus insulin plansManaging oral and non-insulin medicinesBlood glucose testing timing and frequencyHypoglycemia recognition and preventionLesson 3Documentation checklist: crucial items to record for handover and anesthesia record continuityThis lesson outlines key documentation for safe anaesthesia care, including baseline checks, risk talks, consent checks, medication and allergy lists, and handover notes that ensure ongoing care, tracking, and legal safety in Zambian hospitals.
Core elements of the anaesthesia pre-op noteRecording comorbidities and risk scoresDocumenting medications, allergies, and NPO statusStandardized handover and transfer notesLegal and quality assurance considerationsLesson 4Respiratory and cardiovascular exam: auscultation, signs of heart failure, blood pressure control, peripheral perfusionThis lesson describes focused respiratory and cardiovascular exams, including looking, listening, heart failure signs, blood pressure checks, fluid status, and limb blood flow, linking findings to anaesthesia risks and improvements in Zambia.
Respiratory inspection and auscultationIdentifying wheeze, crackles, and obstructionCardiac auscultation and heart failure signsBlood pressure control and volume assessmentPeripheral perfusion and vascular statusLesson 5Identification of anesthesia-related risks: aspiration, difficult airway, hypoventilation, obstructive apnea, perioperative MI/stroke riskThis lesson explores spotting anaesthesia risks like aspiration, hard airways, low breathing, OSA events, and heart or brain issues during surgery, using clinical findings and tools to plan risk reduction in Zambian settings.
Assessing aspiration and full-stomach riskPredicting difficult mask and intubationOSA, hypoventilation, and opioid sensitivityEstimating perioperative MI and stroke riskPlanning risk mitigation strategiesLesson 6ASA physical status classification: criteria, examples, applying ASA class to this patient with obesity, HTN, diabetes, OSAThis lesson reviews ASA physical status classes, criteria for each, common examples, and applying to patients with obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and OSA, stressing consistency, limits, and risk talks in Zambia.
ASA classes I–VI and E modifierClinical examples for each ASA classApplying ASA class to obesity and OSALimitations of ASA as a risk predictorUsing ASA in communication and recordsLesson 7Patient communication and informed consent: explaining plan, fasting, CPAP use, postoperative expectationsThis lesson focuses on good patient talks, shared decisions, and informed consent, including explaining anaesthesia plans, fasting, CPAP use, post-op pain control, and recording understanding and questions in Zambian care.
Structuring the pre-op anaesthesia discussionExplaining fasting, medications, and CPAP useDiscussing risks, benefits, and alternativesSetting postoperative expectations and recoveryAssessing understanding and documenting consentLesson 8Airway evaluation: Mallampati, thyromental distance, neck circumference, neck mobility, dentition, prior airway recordsThis lesson covers structured airway checks using Mallampati, thyromental distance, neck movement, teeth, and past records, combining findings into a hard airway plan and records to boost safety in Zambian operations.
Mallampati and oropharyngeal assessmentThyromental distance and jaw protrusionNeck circumference and mobility evaluationDentition, prosthetics, and loose teethReviewing prior airway and anaesthesia recordsLesson 9Selecting relevant preoperative investigations: labs, ECG, HbA1c, pregnancy test if indicated, CXR indicationsThis lesson guides choosing preoperative tests based on patient risks and procedures, including labs, ECG, HbA1c, pregnancy tests, and chest x-rays, avoiding unneeded tests while ensuring safety and rules in Zambia.
Principles of selective test orderingBaseline labs and renal function testsECG and cardiac testing indicationsHbA1c and diabetes optimization rolePregnancy tests and chest imaging criteria
