Nursing Care in the post anesthesia care unit

Abstract

Background: Anesthesia and surgery result in physiologic changes of the patient, so post - anesthetic care is important. The degree of those changes depends on patients’ fitness and their underlying disease. In general, post anesthesia care units (PACU) should be located close to the operating theatre. Staffs taking care of these patients should have skills and experiences to detect postoperative complications and they should be able to give initial mana - gement for life - threatening complications before notifying the incharged anesthesiologists. The patient’s condition must be stable before being transfened from operating theatre to PACU. The good conditions are normal vital signs, good oxygenation and ventilation. Important data is summarized and transferred to PACU staffs. Respiratory system, cardiovascular system, neurological system, mental status, pain, nausea and vomiting should be evaluated in all admitted patients in PACU. Moreover, perioperative fluid management and discharge criteria (modified Aldrete score) should be met before transferring patient from PACU to ward.

Conclusion: For patients’ safety, PACU staffs should have excellent skill to detect the postoperative complications. Cooperation between surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and PACU staffs, is essential in taking care of patient in PACU.