Essay - Post Anesthesia Care Unit/ Pacu in a Post Surgical Environment...

Post anesthesia care unit/ PACU

***** a post surgical environment where anesthesia is involved in the care of a patient, the role of the PACU is diverse and comprehensive. The PACU serves a variety of functions including ***** assessment, pain management and ***** operative education. One of the most important *****s perhaps of the PACU ***** to educate patients regarding post ***** ***** anes*****tic care prior to discharge (Sigsby, 2003). PACU staff must offer patients directed and clear information to ensure that patients have the ability ***** identify any potential problems and alert ***** after procedures ***** been conducted (Sigsby, 2003).

***** safety in the post anesthesia ***** depends on a number of factors *****cluding proper educati***** ***** patient observation (*****, 2003). Client assessment and nursing observations will include analysis of the patients overall condition to assess ***** effects of anesthesia that can be produced throughout the entire body; even small amounts ***** anesthesia can result in various degrees of analgesia, hypnosis and muscle relaxation (Til*****n, 2003).

***** can result from the use of any type of anesthesia, thus client ***** ***** include monitored care to determine the extent ***** which side effects are occurring from anes*****tic administration (Evans, 2001). Proper assessment in the PACU requires that nurses work together with surgeons and the anes*****siologists to observe for problems in order to have the ability to provide rapid treatment and m*****imize any *****ly devastating effects that might ***** ***** ***** (Til*****n, 2003).

Various standards have ********** established with regard to PACU care to ensure ***** ***** safety is maintained and establ*****hed. Patients transported to PACU for example are generally accompanied by members of ***** anesthesia c***** team, ***** the patient is subsequently evaluated and treated ***** support a*****cording to their ***** condition; in addition, patients entering the PACU are re-evaluated, ***** status documented and in*****mation regarding their pre and post operative condition is transmitted to other staff so that the patient can be adequately ***** (Tilton, 2003).

***** that might be adopted by ***** staff include oxygenation, ventilation, circulation and temperature checks; in ***** pulse oximetry ***** be used during the initial phases of recovery (Tilton, 2003). To further ***** client safety PACU staff will manage the patient's airway and provide oxygen, and record vital signs for communication of overall patient ***** to the anesthesiologist (Tilton, 2003).

***** monitoring that might ***** conducted may ***** cardiac rhythms and blood ********** (Tilton, 2003). ***** utilization of such monitoring equipment ***** ***** will depend on the patient's health both pre and post operative, and the type of procedure the patient has undergone ***** facilitated use of anesthesia.

***** necessary to ensure asepsis include ***** ***** sterile ***** within the sterile field, which consists primarily of the patient and ***** surrounding table and equipment (Operating, n.d; Courtenay, 2000). In addition nurses are required ***** keep hands gloved and should be in a gown, ***** is only sterile from the level of ***** chest to the level ***** the patient (*****, n.d.).

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