Department of Anaesthesia

From the introduction to the Anaesthetists Handbook:

Welcome to the Department of Anaesthesia.

We hope that you will enjoy your time in University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, and find it a useful part of your training, education and development as an anaesthetist.

This handbook is provided to ease the process of settling in to the department and familiarise you with the work in Coventry and Rugby. It contains important information that is essential for your practice in Coventry and Rugby. Editions up to the sixth were called the 'Trainee Anaesthetists Handbook'. From the seventh onwards, the title reflects its applicability to career grade anaesthetists. (Consultants retain clinical autonomy and nothing in this handbook changes their status).

There are more than one hundred anaesthetists among about six and a half thousand staff in total and you may feel intimidated at first - please don't. Read the handbook and if in doubt, ask one of your colleagues. All medical staff are listed on the department intranet site.

No guidelines can be exhaustive and nor should they be very prescriptive. You should become familiar with procedures in the areas where you work. This handbook fills in the gaps that are caused by not having worked in the department before. It is not intended for use as a clinical guide or a reference work for the practice of anaesthesia.

Remember that as a professional, a doctor, and an anaesthetist, you should conduct yourself appropriately in these roles at all times. You are responsible for your actions and inactions, and should aspire to the highest standards of practice.

If you come across an item of equipment, a drug or a problem with which you are unfamiliar - ask someone for advice.

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