The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption across the globe with a huge impact on delivery of safe surgery and anesthesia. When the pandemic was declared, elective surgeries were cancelled or postponed (estimated 28 million cases affected). For anesthetists, the nature of the COVID-19 put them at higher risk of infection especially during aerosol generating procedures. A number of learning resources have been developed and shared to educate anesthetists on how to protect themselves and their team while giving the best possible care.
Below are some links to various resources available. This list in not exhaustive and a lot of the information is based on current knowledge and evidence. We encourage you to keep reading and researching relevant credible resources. There is a lot left to learn about COVID-19 management and until a cure is found, health care workers need to be informed on how to deal with it and reduce the risks to the patient and the surgical team.
World Health Organization
Professional associations
- Kenya Society of Anesthesiologists
- American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
- World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists
Country Policies
- Ministry of Health, Interim guidelines on management of COVID-19 in Kenya
- CDC, Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Recommended readings and videos
- AHA resources for CPR and resuscitation (Modified ACLS and PALS algorithms)
- Vital Anesthesia Simulation Training (COVID-19 scenario)
- Lifebox; PPE: Best practice and Guidelines, N95 Decontamination and Reuse
- Assist International and partners: COVID-19 Tele-education series
- Kenya Registered Nurse Anesthetists Chapter: Let’s talk COVID-19 series
- Kenya Society of Anesthesiologists: Practical Considerations in the Anaesthetic Management of Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic