After a patient has been intubated and things are slow, you can ask your resident or attending to teach you about the following topics:
Preoperative patient assessment
ASA Classification
Airway evaluation
Physiology review (as an example, lung volumes and capacities; CV, FRC and atelectasis under general anesthesia)
Differences between general and regional anesthesia
Induction agents
Commonly used muscle relaxants – distinguish between depolarizing and non-depolarizing
Use of and differences between inhalation anesthetics
Opioids – intraoperative and postoperative uses – complications/side effects
Local anesthetics – pharmacology and toxicity
Vasoactive drugs
Indications for endotracheal intubation (vs. mask ventilation vs. LMA)
Criteria for extubation
Regional anesthesia – indications and complications of:
Spinal anesthesia
Epidural anesthesia
Nerve blocks
Monitoring essentials (i.e. – interpretation)
Review of body fluid compartments and fluid management
Review of blood volume and blood replacement
Postoperative pain management
Disease states and their implications for anesthesia (e.g. – asthma, CAD, DM, etc.)