The Same Day Surgery/Post Anesthesia Care Unit (SDS/PACU) RN provides care for patients Pre-operatively and Post-operatively. Procedure types include: Endoscopy, ENT, Gynecology, Neurology, Orthopedic, General, Obstetrics, and Ophthalmology.
Pre-operatively - patients are fully assessed for all physical, emotional, spiritual, and family needs prior to surgery. There is a complete medication reconciliation, which will include all over the counter, herbal supplements, as well as all prescription medications. A complete physical evaluation is completed by the Anesthesia Provider, and RNs in this area will assist with any necessary preoperative sedation of anesthesia needs. The RN will also complete a physical assessment as well and complete set of vital sings, insert a peripheral IV, and medicate as per orders.
Activities vital to the care of post-anesthesia and post-operative patients include: monitoring vital signs, managing postoperative pain, monitoring the surgical site, treating symptoms of postoperative nausea and vomiting, treating post-anesthetic shivering and airway management. PACU RNs often coordinate the delivery of care for post-anesthesia patients following surgical procedures so the safety, physical, psychological and educational needs of the patients and family members are met.
PACU provides extended recovery care for up to 6 hours to patients requiring closer observation. Anesthesia can include general, regional or local anesthesia. The immediate post anesthesia period includes patients who have surgical, obstetrical, diagnostic, or therapeutic procedures
The SDS area is a 5 bay unit and the PACU is a 5 bay unit directly adjacent to the Main Operating Room. PACU staff are on-call Monday - Friday after the last case has completed recovery until 7am the following morning and Saturday & Sunday 7:00 am to 7:00 am (24 hr. periods at a time) and on major holidays.