Question: What preparations need to be made prior to the start of anaesthesia?

Answer: Ask yourself these three questions: Are the appropriate facilities available? Do you have the appropriate experience? Can you get local assistance or advice, e.g. from a colleague or paediatrician? If the answer to any of these is no, it may be safer to postpone or transfer the child to another hospital.

Formulate your plan A. What is your backup plan B and C?

Review any aide memoires or algorithms.

Discuss with your assistant, surgeon and theatre nurses, as part of WHO Safe Surgery Team Brief.