From time to time, we are faced with anaesthetising a very old, young, sick, or emergency patient for surgery, diagnostic procedures or stabilisation. While fit and healthy patients may have significant reserves in organ function and are usually able to handle the stress of general anaesthesia and surgery, compromised patients have markedly less reserves and impaired ability to cope with these stresses.

This lecture will discuss preparation and stabilisation methods for compromised patients in the pre-operative period, as well as discuss what to monitor perioperatively and during recovery.

Speaker: Marcia Fletcher, RVNS, Dip V.N (Distinction), VTS (Anaesthesia & Analgesia)

Marcia is a registered veterinary nurse specialist, thought leader and an international speaker.  Having over 20 years’ experience in veterinary anaesthesia, she started her career working for the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in New Zealand and was the senior anaesthesia nurse there for over 16 years.  In 2011 she became New Zealand’s first Veterinary Technician Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia.  She has been awarded New Zealand’s “Vet Nurse of the Year”, and several teaching awards including “Teacher of the Year”.  Marcia is also New Zealand’s first RECOVER certified instructor of both basic and advanced CPR, providing CPR training both nationally and internationally.

In 2020 Marcia left the university teaching life and created The Pink Stethoscope, her platform to elevate veterinary anaesthesia within the entire veterinary community. Through The Pink Stethoscope she independently provides postgraduate veterinary anaesthesia education, training, webinars, workshops and consultations.

Marcia loves all aspects of veterinary anaesthesia teaching. Her passion has always been instilling anaesthesia knowledge to the greater veterinary profession – to make a somewhat challenging subject less stressful, and ultimately to empower veterinary professionals to continue their anaesthesia learning journey.

Away from work Marcia is a busy kiwi mum, enjoying her home life with her husband, daughter, son, and very special “fur-daughter” Minnie the tuxedo cat.