Hypothesis: To evaluate risk tolerance of anaesthetists for various perioperative situations.
Methods: Online questionnaire of 212 anaesthetists in the UK with 11 scenarios.
Results: The response rate was 28%. In no scenario was there complete agreement, even in the face of a clear deviation from established standards and guidelines. Consultants were more likely to proceed than trainees. There was a wide variability in what was considered acceptable or professional behavior.
Strengths: Variety of scenarios; scenarios based on guidelines; respondents included trainees and consultants
Weaknesses: Urgency of cases not clearly defined; respondents were at 3 nearby hospitals with likely practices; survey design; limited generalizability to other countries and types of practice
Key Point: There is a wide range of opinion on which scenarios anaesthetists feel are OK to proceed with and which require delay.