The Oxford Handbook of Perioperative Practice offers readers practical, easily accessible, concise and up-to-date evidence-based information on the essential elements of perioperative practice. It provides a thorough introduction to the principles and practice of anaesthetics, intraoperative care and recovery nursing, focussing on the patients' journey before, during and after surgery. Containing many helpful illustrations and diagrams to guide the reader, along with references to national and international guidelines, the Oxford Handbook of Perioperative Practice assists practitioners in meeting the individual needs of surgical patients while ensuring safe and efficient care delivery. It enables readers to easily locate information about essential skills, patients' medical conditions, and perioperative and surgical patient management. The book is clearly laid out, and written in an easily readable note-based style. Blank pages are included for the reader, so that notes, observations, and local protocols can be included, thereby individualising the Handbook. Written by teaching staff and clinicians from the fields of nursing, operating department practice and pharmacy, the Oxford Handbook of Perioperative Practice offers an inter-disciplinary and inter-professional approach to perioperative practice for those studying the subject and those practising within the perioperative environment.

1. Perioperative practice 2. Professional issues in perioperative practice 3. Admission of surgical patients 4. Pre-assessment of surgical patients 5. Patients with pre-existing diseases 6. Preparing the patient for theatre 7. Principles of anaesthesia 8. Essential anaesthetic equipment 9. Scientific principles 10. Airway management 11. Complications associated with anaesthesia 12. Specialist anaesthesia 13. Decontamination and sterilisation 14. Thermoregulation 15. Skin preparation 16. Operating theatre practice 17. Patient positioning for surgery 18. Wound management 19. Surgical equipment 20. Preparation of recovery 21. Caring for the post anaesthesia patient 22. Perioperative pharmacology 23. Pain management 24. Perioperative drugs 25. Fluid therapy and fluid replacement 26. Emergency care