Key Short Course components

* Delays to reaching surgical care (e.g. transport, cost) and their effect on complications after surgery

* Age related concerns that may affect care after surgery (e.g. children, the elderly)

* Age related concerns that may affect care after surgery (e.g. children, the elderly)

* How prognosis and risks after surgery might inform whether surgery is appropriate or not

* How prognosis and risks after surgery might inform whether surgery is appropriate or not

* Short term health issues (e.g. severity and nature of acute illness)

* Care standards and availability of treatment guidelines

* Care standards and availability of treatment guidelines

Care standards and availability of treatment guidelines

Short term health issues (e.g. severity and nature of acute illness)

Staffing levels, wellbeing and resilience, and their effect on complications after surgery

Age related concerns that may affect care after surgery (e.g. children, the elderly)

Individualised risk assessment (based on risk calculators, e.g. P-POSSUM)

Levels of care after surgery, and where they are offered (e.g. health centre, district general hospital, specialist centre)

Staffing levels, wellbeing and resilience, and their effect on complications after surgery

* Anaesthetic complications during surgery (e.g. airway complications, hypoxia, anaphylaxis, complications relating to regional anaesthesia)

* Anaesthetic complications during surgery (e.g. airway complications, hypoxia, anaphylaxis, complications relating to regional anaesthesia)

* Anaesthetic complications during surgery (e.g. airway complications, hypoxia, anaphylaxis, complications relating to regional anaesthesia)

* Effect of surgical complications during surgery (e.g. major blood loss, soiling, retained items) on care after surgery

* Effect of surgical complications during surgery (e.g. major blood loss, soiling, retained items) on care after surgery

* Effect of surgical complications during surgery (e.g. major blood loss, soiling, retained items) on care after surgery

* Effect of anaesthetic technique (e.g. GA, regional, sedation, local) on care after surgery

Effect of anaesthetic technique (e.g. GA, regional, sedation, local) on care after surgery

* Effect of anaesthetic technique (e.g. GA, regional, sedation, local) on care after surgery

* Availability of anaesthesia drugs, oxygen, and equipment

Effect of surgical technique (e.g. open or laparoscopic) on care after surgery

* Severity of surgery (e.g. minor, major, damage-control)

Urgency of surgery

Type of surgery (e.g. obstetric, general, neuro, multi-stage)

* Type of surgery (e.g. obstetric, general, neuro, multi-stage)

Effect of surgical technique (e.g. open or laparoscopic) on care after surgery

Severity of surgery (e.g. minor, major, damage-control)

* Urgency of surgery

Types of anaesthesia providers (e.g. physician or non-physician providers)

Urgency of surgery

Effect of surgical technique (e.g. open or laparoscopic) on care after surgery

Severity of surgery (e.g. minor, major, damage-control)

Availability of anaesthesia drugs, oxygen, and equipment

Availability of anaesthesia drugs, oxygen, and equipment

Type of surgery (e.g. obstetric, general, neuro, multi-stage)

Indications for surgery

Availability of surgical instruments and supplies (e.g. prostheses)

Types of operating surgical provider (e.g. specialist or non-specialist providers)

* Blood related (e.g. post-operative bleeding, coagulopathy)

* Blood related (e.g. post-operative bleeding, coagulopathy)

* Blood related (e.g. post-operative bleeding, coagulopathy)

* Cardiovascular (e.g. MI, arrhythmia, pulmonary oedema)

Cardiovascular (e.g. MI, arrhythmia, pulmonary oedema)

* Cardiovascular (e.g. MI, arrhythmia, pulmonary oedema)

* Respiratory (e.g. hypoxia, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism)

Respiratory (e.g. hypoxia, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism)

* Respiratory (e.g. hypoxia, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism)

* Management of nausea and vomiting

Management of nausea and vomiting

* Management of nausea and vomiting

* Complications encountered only in particular specialties (e.g. apnoea in paediatrics, pre-eclampsia in obstetrics, and so on)

Neuro (e.g. cognitive dysfunction, delirium)

* Neuro (e.g. cognitive dysfunction, delirium)

* Altered biochemistry (e.g. electrolyte disturbances)

Complications encountered only in particular specialties (e.g. apnoea in paediatrics, pre-eclampsia in obstetrics, and so on)

* Altered biochemistry (e.g. electrolyte disturbances)

* Management of pain (including in patients with substance abuse)

Management of pain (including in patients with substance abuse)

* Management of pain (including in patients with substance abuse)

* Infection (e.g. surgical site, sepsis)

Renal (e.g. acute kidney injury, urinary retention, urinary tract infection)

* Renal (e.g. acute kidney injury, urinary retention, urinary tract infection)

* Renal (e.g. acute kidney injury, urinary retention, urinary tract infection)

Infection (e.g. surgical site, sepsis)

* Infection (e.g. surgical site, sepsis)

Complications of ICU stay (e.g. difficulty weaning off ventilator, critical illness myopathy and neuropathy)

* Gastrointestinal (e.g. GI bleed, ileus, blood sugar disturbance)

Neuro (e.g. cognitive dysfunction, delirium)

Complications of ICU stay (e.g. difficulty weaning off ventilator, critical illness myopathy and neuropathy)

gastrointestinal (e.g. GI bleed, ileus, blood sugar disturbance)

Complications encountered only in particular specialties (e.g. apnoea in paediatrics, pre-eclampsia in obstetrics, and so on)

Effects of COVID-19 Infection on the surgical patient and role of vaccine

Effects of COVID-19 Infection on the surgical patient and role of vaccine

* Hand-over and communication between health professionals

Basic monitoring equipment and their use (ECG, pulse oximetry, etc)

* Hand-over and communication between health professionals

* Early warning scores based on patient observations

Early warning scores based on patient observations

* Early warning scores based on patient observations

* Basic monitoring equipment and their use (ECG, pulse oximetry, etc)

* Common diagnostic testing and their role in monitoring the patient (e.g. Hb, renal function, blood glucose)

Common diagnostic testing and their role in monitoring the patient (e.g. Hb, renal function, blood glucose)

* Basic monitoring equipment and their use (ECG, pulse oximetry, etc)

Effect of nursing availability and level of training on care after surgery

* Role of physiotherapy (e.g. early mobilisation, chest physio)

Location of care (e.g. recovery area, ward, critical care)

Role of physiotherapy (e.g. early mobilisation, chest physio)

Critical care outreach services (e.g. ICU nurse follow-up)

* Considerations on when to refer and transfer to higher centres for continued care

* Capacity of ward staff to manage resuscitation and cardiac arrest (e.g. training, availability of defibrillator and other equipment)

* Capacity of ward staff to manage resuscitation and cardiac arrest (e.g. training, availability of defibrillator and other equipment)

* Capacity to manage acute pain (e.g. pharmacological, regional, availability of medications in hospital or with patient if having to buy it themselves)

Capacity to manage acute pain (e.g. pharmacological, regional, availability of medications in hospital or with patient if having to buy it themselves)

* Capacity to manage acute pain (e.g. pharmacological, regional, availability of medications in hospital or with patient if having to buy it themselves)

Capacity of ward staff to manage resuscitation and cardiac arrest (e.g. training, availability of defibrillator and other equipment)

* Considerations on when to refer and transfer to higher centres for continued care

Availability and prioritisation of resources for higher level of care (e.g. ventilators, dialysis)

* Considerations on unplanned return to theatre

Ability to escalate level of care (e.g. proximity to nursing station, transfer to higher level care)

Availability and prioritisation of resources for higher level of care (e.g. ventilators, dialysis)

Availability and considerations on when to use blood bank and/or blood products