ANESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA FOR
VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (PENNFOSTER)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Discuss the rationale for obtaining the owner's consent for anesthesia. -
CORRECT ANSWER -Rationale for obtaining the owner's consent
for anesthesia is its illegal in most jurisdictions to undertake surgery or
anesthesia on an animal without the owner's written or oral consent. This
explains to the owner the risks associated with the procedure and that
no procedure is without risks. Consent for anesthesia will also ask if the
veterinarian can give CPR to the patient if needed and explain that
extra-label drugs may be used.
Perform a preanesthetic physical assessment. - CORRECT
ANSWER -Get accurate weight because most anesthetics are given IV
and calculations are needed, look at body scale 1-5 or 1-9 (must use
lean body weight), check all vitals.
Relate the patient signalment, body weight, and patient condition to the
selection and use of anesthetic agents and adjuncts. - CORRECT
ANSWER -
Assign a patient to one of the five physical status classifications as
specified by the American Society of Anesthesiologists. - CORRECT
ANSWER -PS 1- zero risk underlying disease healthy animal
PS 2- Slight risk, minor disease present
PS3-Moderate risk, obvious disease present
PS 4- High risk, patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant
threat to life
,PS5-Extreme risk, moribund patient that is not expected to survive
without the operation
Describe the components of preanesthetic preparation, including
diagnostic testing, choice of protocol, withholding of food, and correction
of preexisting problems. - CORRECT ANSWER -Ensure that the
patient has been properly fasted (species, age, disease specific).
Common preanesthetic diagnostic tests and procedures include the
complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistries, parasite screens,
complete urinalysis, serologic tests, coagulation screen,
electrocardiogram (ECG), and thoracic radiographs.
Chapter 6 Anesthetic Monitoring
Explain the principles of anesthetic monitoring, including the reasons for
and goals of monitoring. - CORRECT ANSWER -Principles are that
the average patient is expected to show a predictable response at any
given anesthetic depth, to warn the anesthetist of changes in anesthetic
depth and patient condition in enough time to permit intervention before
they become dangerous, and patient safety. To keep the patient safe,
the anesthetist must monitor the patient at many points in time to ensure
that vital signs remain within acceptable limits. Failure to monitor and
maintain vital signs within acceptable limits may lead to devastating
consequences such as permanent brain damage or even death. The
anesthetist also must maintain the animal at an appropriate anesthetic
depth (i.e., one that is neither too light nor too deep) by monitoring
reflexes and other indicators. Failure to maintain an adequate depth of
anesthesia may result in perception of pain and premature arousal from
anesthesia. On the other hand, maintaining an animal at an excessive
depth of anesthesia may lead to anesthetic overdose or slow recovery.
List the physical monitoring parameters, and classify each in one of the
following categories: (1) vital signs, (2) reflexes, (3) other indicators of
anesthetic depth. - CORRECT ANSWER -Vital signs would include
heart rate (HR), heart rhythm, respiratory rate (RR) and depth, mucous
membrane color, capillary refill time (CRT), pulse strength, blood
, pressure (BP), and temperature. The patient's vital signs indicate how
well the patient is maintaining basic circulatory and respiratory function
during anesthesia and therefore are the best indicators of patient well-
being. Although vital signs also generally reflect the anesthetic stage
and plane, they are not reliable indicators of anesthetic depth.
A reflex refers to an involuntary response to a stimulus (e.g. eye blink in
response to touching the skin at the corner of the eye or a kick in
response to a tap on the patellar tendon). Reflexes used in veterinary
anesthesia include the palpebral, corneal, pedal, swallowing, and
laryngeal reflexes as well as the pupillary light reflex (PLR). Other
indicators of anesthetic depth include spontaneous movement, eye
position, pupil size, muscle tone, nystagmus, salivary and lacrimal
secretions, and response to surgical stimulation. Both reflexes and other
indicators are useful for determining anesthetic depth but are not useful
for assessing cardiopulmonary function or homeostasis.
Determining the depth of anesthesia, is accomplished primarily by
monitoring reflexes and other indicators of depth listed previously.
Assessment of circulation, oxygenation, ventilation, and body
temperature, monitoring of patients under, and recovering from,
neuromuscular blockade, recordkeeping, Monitoring during the recovery
period, recommendations regarding personnel and monitoring sedated
patients
List and describe each of the stages and planes of anesthesia. -
CORRECT ANSWER -General anesthesia is divided into four stages
(I to IV), and stage III is subdivided into four planes (1 to 4) based on
eye movement, pupil size, and later eyelid movement. Dr. Guedel
originally divided Stage III into four planes numbered 1 through 4, many
anesthetists now use a system that divides Stage III into three planes
most often referred to as light, moderate, and deep surgical anesthesia
or, stated more simply, light, moderate, and deep anesthesia.
Expected Responses of Selected Monitoring Parameters
VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (PENNFOSTER)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Discuss the rationale for obtaining the owner's consent for anesthesia. -
CORRECT ANSWER -Rationale for obtaining the owner's consent
for anesthesia is its illegal in most jurisdictions to undertake surgery or
anesthesia on an animal without the owner's written or oral consent. This
explains to the owner the risks associated with the procedure and that
no procedure is without risks. Consent for anesthesia will also ask if the
veterinarian can give CPR to the patient if needed and explain that
extra-label drugs may be used.
Perform a preanesthetic physical assessment. - CORRECT
ANSWER -Get accurate weight because most anesthetics are given IV
and calculations are needed, look at body scale 1-5 or 1-9 (must use
lean body weight), check all vitals.
Relate the patient signalment, body weight, and patient condition to the
selection and use of anesthetic agents and adjuncts. - CORRECT
ANSWER -
Assign a patient to one of the five physical status classifications as
specified by the American Society of Anesthesiologists. - CORRECT
ANSWER -PS 1- zero risk underlying disease healthy animal
PS 2- Slight risk, minor disease present
PS3-Moderate risk, obvious disease present
PS 4- High risk, patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant
threat to life
,PS5-Extreme risk, moribund patient that is not expected to survive
without the operation
Describe the components of preanesthetic preparation, including
diagnostic testing, choice of protocol, withholding of food, and correction
of preexisting problems. - CORRECT ANSWER -Ensure that the
patient has been properly fasted (species, age, disease specific).
Common preanesthetic diagnostic tests and procedures include the
complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistries, parasite screens,
complete urinalysis, serologic tests, coagulation screen,
electrocardiogram (ECG), and thoracic radiographs.
Chapter 6 Anesthetic Monitoring
Explain the principles of anesthetic monitoring, including the reasons for
and goals of monitoring. - CORRECT ANSWER -Principles are that
the average patient is expected to show a predictable response at any
given anesthetic depth, to warn the anesthetist of changes in anesthetic
depth and patient condition in enough time to permit intervention before
they become dangerous, and patient safety. To keep the patient safe,
the anesthetist must monitor the patient at many points in time to ensure
that vital signs remain within acceptable limits. Failure to monitor and
maintain vital signs within acceptable limits may lead to devastating
consequences such as permanent brain damage or even death. The
anesthetist also must maintain the animal at an appropriate anesthetic
depth (i.e., one that is neither too light nor too deep) by monitoring
reflexes and other indicators. Failure to maintain an adequate depth of
anesthesia may result in perception of pain and premature arousal from
anesthesia. On the other hand, maintaining an animal at an excessive
depth of anesthesia may lead to anesthetic overdose or slow recovery.
List the physical monitoring parameters, and classify each in one of the
following categories: (1) vital signs, (2) reflexes, (3) other indicators of
anesthetic depth. - CORRECT ANSWER -Vital signs would include
heart rate (HR), heart rhythm, respiratory rate (RR) and depth, mucous
membrane color, capillary refill time (CRT), pulse strength, blood
, pressure (BP), and temperature. The patient's vital signs indicate how
well the patient is maintaining basic circulatory and respiratory function
during anesthesia and therefore are the best indicators of patient well-
being. Although vital signs also generally reflect the anesthetic stage
and plane, they are not reliable indicators of anesthetic depth.
A reflex refers to an involuntary response to a stimulus (e.g. eye blink in
response to touching the skin at the corner of the eye or a kick in
response to a tap on the patellar tendon). Reflexes used in veterinary
anesthesia include the palpebral, corneal, pedal, swallowing, and
laryngeal reflexes as well as the pupillary light reflex (PLR). Other
indicators of anesthetic depth include spontaneous movement, eye
position, pupil size, muscle tone, nystagmus, salivary and lacrimal
secretions, and response to surgical stimulation. Both reflexes and other
indicators are useful for determining anesthetic depth but are not useful
for assessing cardiopulmonary function or homeostasis.
Determining the depth of anesthesia, is accomplished primarily by
monitoring reflexes and other indicators of depth listed previously.
Assessment of circulation, oxygenation, ventilation, and body
temperature, monitoring of patients under, and recovering from,
neuromuscular blockade, recordkeeping, Monitoring during the recovery
period, recommendations regarding personnel and monitoring sedated
patients
List and describe each of the stages and planes of anesthesia. -
CORRECT ANSWER -General anesthesia is divided into four stages
(I to IV), and stage III is subdivided into four planes (1 to 4) based on
eye movement, pupil size, and later eyelid movement. Dr. Guedel
originally divided Stage III into four planes numbered 1 through 4, many
anesthetists now use a system that divides Stage III into three planes
most often referred to as light, moderate, and deep surgical anesthesia
or, stated more simply, light, moderate, and deep anesthesia.
Expected Responses of Selected Monitoring Parameters
