DOI : 10.56496 / DYXH9575

Liza Ebeck , RVN , NCert Anaesthesia , AVLM

Willows Veterinary Group , VetPartners , Cheshire

ENVELOPE liza . ebeck @ willowsvetgroup . co . uk

Liza qualified in 2001 and has spent most of her career working in university referral hospitals , gaining specific experience in cardiology , anaesthesia , surgical nursing and theatre practice . She is currently a head nurse in a first opinion practice in Cheshire . Liza has a passion for achieving best practice pain management and sustainable anaesthesia , and enjoys lecturing in her specialisms online and in her practice group .

ABSTRACT A veterinary practice can improve its environmental sustainability in a number of ways , including making changes to its consumable purchasing and waste management . Even anaesthesia can be made more environmentally sustainable .

Nearly 3 % of the NHS ' s carbon footprint is attributed to anaesthesia . Recommendations to reduce this include the use of total intravenous anaesthesia techniques , to minimise inhalant use , and the use of low-flow fresh gas flow rates when using inhalant anaesthetics .

Total intravenous anaesthesia has not been fully adopted in small animal general practice for a variety of reasons , including equipment costs and lack of familiarity with the technique . However , adjusting the way fresh gas flow rates are applied – and using capnography to monitor the specific patient ’ s requirements for such – is something many practices could adopt at minimal cost and with little prior expertise .

Keywords capnography , anaesthesia , sustainable , fresh gas flow , capnogram

34 Veterinary Nursing Journal