What happens to our equine patients when we induce anaesthesia? How do their physiological parameters differ from that of small animals? This lecture will focus on the fundamentals of equine anaesthesia including the challenges we face to get them through their sedation, anaesthesia and recovery period with as little complications as possible.

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.