Giving an anaesthetic involves three stages:

• Induction - putting the patient to sleep
• Maintenance - keeping the patient asleep
• Reversal - waking the patient up

This process has been likened to flying: first you take off, then you fly level and finally you land. Just as in the analogy, the first and last stages are often the most risky parts.

Although there are others, this session concentrates on three induction agents. For your initial test of competence you are expected to know about at least two induction agents in detail.

To understand why one is chosen over another, you must have a thorough knowledge of induction agents.