Anaesthesia training resources: Safety & quality in anaesthetic practice

This new edition has been produced via ongoing review of best available clinical evidence and relevant regulatory guidance. It takes account of helpful feedback from a number of our fellows, as well as colleagues from other parts of the health sector.

For full notes on the changes, see the Updated guideline on surgical patient safety and COVID-19 news item.

Note: this Standard covers management of anaphylaxis outside the operating theatre or intensive care unit (ICU). For management of anaphylaxis inside theatre or ICU, please refer to ANZAAG Anaphylaxis Management Guidelines.

Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) is a rare pharmacogenetic disorder. MH reactions are potentially fatal if prompt appropriate treatment is not instituted. An MH crisis is increasingly rare and many anaesthetists will not experience one in their practising career. There are many high priority tasks that must be attended to simultaneously. For these reasons, the group of anaesthetists responsible for MH investigation in Australia and New Zealand (mhanz) have completed the attached MH Resource Kit. In some cases the recommendations represent re-worked or refined versions of pre-existing documents. The mhanz group acknowledges the staff of Palmerston North Hospital (New Zealand) and the Southern Health Simulation Centre (Victoria) for their contribution to our final package.

This checklist has been adapted from the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in consultation with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses and the Perioperative Nurses College of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation; it is not intended to be comprehensive, additions and modifications to fit local practice are encouraged (Oct 09). Based on the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist,© World Health Organization 2009. All rights reserved.

The aim of the resulting WHO Surgical Safety Checklist First Edition (available at www.who.int/patientsafety/challenge/safe.surgery/en/index.html) is to reinforce accepted safety practices and foster better communication and teamwork between clinical disciplines. The Checklist is not a regulatory device or a component of official policy; it is intended as a tool for use by clinicians interested in improving the safety of their operations and reducing unnecessary surgical deaths and complications.