Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Miscellaneous issuesElective patients • 2 hours for clear fluids and water.• 3 hours for milk.• 4 hours for solids.Urgent patients • 4 hours for clear fluids and water.• 6 hours for food.Children (elective andemergency)• 2 hours for clear fluids.• 4 hours for breast milk.• 6 hours for solids or formula milk.Preoperative patient assessment and time keeping[Appraised by Dr Edwin Borman, January 2010]You are expected to see patients preoperatively whether on anaccompanied or an unaccompanied list. Adequate time is allowed forpreoperative assessment. Lists should therefore start on time unlessby prior arrangement with the surgeon and the theatre sister.The traditional list start times are 09:00 and 14:00. The TheatreManagement Board issued instructions in 2004 that list times will beas follows:Morning list 08:30 to 12:30Afternoon list 13:30 to 17:30All day list 08:30 to 16:30Many consultants have agreed in their job plans to work these times.Following a clinical adverse event in 2004 the clinical director hasinstructed that you should not anaesthetise a patient before you haveseen the surgeon in the operating theatre suite.226 Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010