The Scheduling Mode of Anesthesia Nurses Affects Postanesthesia Care Unit Efficiency: A Single-Center Retrospective Study From China.

PURPOSE: Anesthesia nurses play an important postsurgical role during the anesthesia recovery period, which is characterized by a high incidence of complications related to anesthesia and surgery. Strengthening staff allocation and skill management in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is therefore particularly important in managing length of stay. We aimed to investigate the effect of two schedule modes for anesthesia nurses on PACU efficiency. DESIGN: A retrospective observational cohort study. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in a large tertiary academic medical center. In 2018, the PACU operated with traditional scheduling and the nurse-to-patient ratio was 1.2:1. The PACU implemented intensive scheduling and this ratio was adjusted to 1:1 in 2019 by adjusting the anesthesia nurse allocation scheme. We compared the number of admitted patients, length of PACU stay, the incidence of anesthesia-related complications, and nurse satisfaction with the two modes. FINDINGS: The total number of admitted patients was 10,531 in 2018 and 10,914 in 2019. PACU admitted 401 more patients in 2019 than in 2018, even with two fewer nurses per day. Nevertheless, the median length of PACU stay in 2019 was statistically significantly shorter than in 2018 (29 [22-40] vs 28 [21-39], P < .001], while the incidence of anesthesia-related complications including postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, hypertension, and shivering were comparable in the 2 years (P > .091). The intensive scheduling implemented in 2019 received more satisfaction from nurses than the traditional scheduling applied in 2018 (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The scheduling of anesthesia nurses affects PACU efficiency. The intensive scheduling mode implemented in 2019 resulted in a comparable number of admitted patients, a better quality of care, and higher nurse satisfaction than those under the traditional scheduling mode.

Analysis of Adverse Events in the Postanesthesia Unit at a Tertiary Pediatric Hospital.

PURPOSE: The postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is an indispensable part of modern medicine which provides critical care to patients to ensure safe and smooth emergence from anesthesia. The adverse events in the PACU have been widely investigated in adults. However, little is known about the adverse events in pediatric populations. This study was designed to investigate adverse events, including the incidence, disease spectrum, and possible risk factors, in pediatric patients in the PACU at a tertiary pediatric hospital. DESIGN: This is a retrospective observational study. METHODS: Children admitted to the PACU at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University from September 2021 to August 2022 were included in the study. The following adverse events were recorded: hypothermia, fever, adverse airway events, hypotension, hypertension, prolonged length of stay in PACU, pain, reintubation, neurological events, unplanned admission to the intensive care unit, arrhythmia, water-electrolyte imbalance, and bleeding requiring medical intervention. Descriptive analyses, t tests, and χ2 tests were performed. FINDINGS: A total of 16,012 children were included in the study, and 305 adverse events occurred in 237 (1.48%) children. The three most frequently occurring adverse events were prolonged stay in the PACU (8.4%), adverse airway events (5.6%), and abnormal temperature (2.7%). Age, American Society of Anesthesiologists' grade, and general surgery were independent risk factors of both overall adverse events and prolonged stay in the PACU in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Children with adverse events stayed in the PACU significantly longer than those without adverse events (60.04 ± 1.01 vs 95.8 ± 47.25 minutes, P < .05). Compared with the other surgeries, a significantly higher proportion of severe pain (37.5% vs 0%) after thoracic surgery, prolonged stay in the PACU (52.9% vs 36.4%) after general surgery, and neurological events (14.7% vs 0%) after neurological surgery was detected, while a significantly lower proportion of adverse airway events after general surgery (21.1% vs 43%) and neurological surgery (8.8% vs 43%) was detected, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports the current incidence and spectrum of adverse events in the PACU at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Patients with young age, high American Society of Anesthesiologists' grade, and those from the general surgery department are at a significantly increased risk of adverse events in the PACU. Significant differences were detected in the proportion of specific adverse events after specific surgeries.

The Effect of Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) and Nursing Guide Application on Postoperative Patient Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of nursing guide application (NGA) on patient outcomes in patients followed up according to the modified early warning score (MEWS) in the postoperative period. DESIGN: A randomized controlled clinical trial. METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of 252 patients who underwent surgical intervention under general anesthesia in a university hospital between July 29, 2022, and October 31, 2022. FINDINGS: Results showed that the development of complications was less in the study group (SG) compared to the control group (CG) during anesthesia (P = .027), in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) (P = .017), and in the clinic (P = .001). It was found that the duration of stay in PACU in the CG was significantly shorter than in the study group (P < .001), and as the duration of stay in PACU in CG decreased, the MEWS increased (r = -0.201, P = .024). We found that there were fewer patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) after PACU (P = .007), the MEWS was lower, and the number of nursing interventions applied to patients was higher (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients followed up according to MEWS, NGA had a positive effect on preventing the development of complications and shortening the intervention time for complications, decreasing ICU admission, decreasing MEWS and increasing the number of nursing interventions. Based on the results, it may be recommended to use MEWS+NGA in the early postoperative period as it positively affects patient outcomes.

Pain Predictors in Patients in the Postanesthesia Care Unit.

PURPOSE: To analyze the effects of pain-predicting factors on patients in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). DESIGN: This is an observational and prospective study. METHODS: This study was conducted at a University Hospital in the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil). To collect data on demographic, clinical, and surgical factors, a collection instrument was devised. The verbal numerical scale was employed to measure pain levels before and after surgery in the PACU. A path analysis was used to assess a predictive model. FINDINGS: A total of 226 patients were included in this study. The incidence of pain in the PACU was 31.9%. A model with demographic, clinical, and surgical variables was tested. The final model, after including modification indices, obtained results that indicated an acceptable data fit (comparative fit index = 0.996; root mean square error of approximation = 0.08). Age (being young), sex (being a woman), oncological diagnosis as an indication for the surgical procedure, type of surgery (surgery of the digestive system), duration of surgery (longer surgeries), and high intraoperative doses of opioids were predictive variables for pain in the PACU. CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings provide support for pain management in the PACU. Furthermore, the results of this research can be used to anticipate the occurrence of acute postoperative pain and personalized perioperative analgesia needs.

Association Between the Blood Glucose Value at PACU Discharge and Postoperative Hypoglycemia in Nondiabetic Patients With Hyperglycemia After Hysteroscopic Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: The target glycemic control for nondiabetic patients in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) after hysteroscopic surgery remains unclear. Our goal is to determine the optimal level of glycemic control by finding the relationship between blood glucose level (BGL) leaving the PACU and postoperative hypoglycemia in nondiabetic patients. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a comprehensive tertiary hospital in Chongqing, China between June 2018 and December 2020. METHODS: The target independent and dependent variables were BGL leaving the PACU and postoperative hypoglycemia, respectively. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypoglycemia. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between discharge BGL and hypoglycemia. The optimal glycemic control range was determined by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. FINDINGS: Prior to insulin use, BGL in the insulin-using subgroup might be as high as 20 mmol/L. Hypoglycemia was related to the BGL while leaving the PACU (odds ratio (OR) 0.37 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22 to 0.65]). The best cut-off value (12.95 mmol/L) was determined by fitting the ROC curve. CONCLUSIONS: If severe hyperglycemia develops during hysteroscopic surgery in individuals with 5% glucose as the mediator of uterine distention, the recommendation is to maintain blood glucose above 12.95 mmol/L when treated with insulin.

Incidence and Severity of Catheter-Related Bladder Discomfort Among Nonurological Adult Patients in a Postanesthesia Care Unit.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and severity of catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) among nonurological adult patients in a postanesthesia care unit with catheter sizes of 10 to 18 Fr. DESIGN: Descriptive, prospective, and quantitative study. METHODS: In all, 401 patients were included. Incidence and severity of CRBD were assessed upon arrival and 1 hour after arrival. FINDINGS: CRBD incidence was 17.2% (n = 69) on arrival versus 19.1 (n = 74) 1 hour after arrival. Male gender showed a significantly higher risk of developing CRBD upon arrival (odds ratio, 3.15; P = .000; 95% confidence interval, 1.78 to 5.59), and 1 hour after arrival (odds ratio, 2.34; P = .002; 95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 3.99). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest using a catheter as small as possible and confirm that men experience significantly more discomfort, whatever sized catheter is used.

Preoperative Risk Factors Associated With PACU Pediatric Respiratory Complications: An Integrative Review.

PURPOSE: This article reviews state of the science of preoperative risk factors associated with postanesthesia care unit (PACU) pediatric respiratory complications. DESIGN: An integrative review. METHODS: A search of PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane, and Joanna Briggs Institute databases was performed. Thirty-one articles, published between 2006 and 2018, were appraised for quality and the level of evidence using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model. FINDINGS: These articles were grouped into the following categories: age, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, gender, airway comorbidities, syndromes, anomalies, pulmonary comorbidities, ethnicity, obesity, neurologic comorbidities, and cardiac comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence identified significant preoperative and anesthesia risk factors that are associated with PACU pediatric respiratory complications. This article reveals the importance for the perioperative team to identify, assess for, communicate, and develop a management plan for pediatric respiratory complications.

Implementation Science: Incorporating Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening and Capnography Into Everyday Practice.

PURPOSE: This article describes the implementation and maintenance of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening and capnography monitoring. DESIGN: A quality improvement project. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team provided staff education to three perianesthesia care units. Using the STOP-Bang screening tool, five or more positive responses indicated high risk for OSA. A postanesthesia care unit audit tool tracked STOP-Bang scores, capnography use, hypoventilation events, nursing interventions, and respiratory complications. FINDINGS: Among 314 patients with OSA, 36% were identified as high risk. Nurses used capnography on 76% of OSA patients and were able to readily identify hypoventilation and intervene. Respiratory complications occurred in 10.8% (n = 34) requiring a higher level of care. Postimplementation, all six postanesthesia care units employ this best practice. CONCLUSIONS: Perianesthesia nurses found OSA screening and capnography easy to incorporate into nursing practice. This process can reduce respiratory complications in the surgical patient with OSA. An Evidence-Based Practice Fellowship Program facilitated this practice change.

Effects of Nonpharmacologic Distraction Methods on Children's Postoperative Pain-A Nonmatched Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether nonpharmacologic distraction as a supplement to conventional pain management can reduce children's assessment of pain in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and if parental assessment is a reliable proxy in assessing children's postoperative pain. DESIGN: A nonmatched case-control study. METHODS: The sample included 241 children aged 2 to 7 years assigned to one of five intervention groups or a control group. Children's and parents' assessments of pain were registered on arrival to PACU and repeated after 15, 30, and 45 minutes using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. FINDINGS: Positive effects of interventions were found in both children's and parental assessments. Results indicate a positive correlation between children's and parental assessments in children older than 3 years (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Nonpharmacologic distraction is recommended as a supplement to conventional postoperative pain management. Parental assessment is a reliable proxy in assessing postoperative pain in children younger than 5 years.

Identification and Management of Ischemic Stroke in the Postanesthesia Care Unit.

A thromboembolic stroke is a debilitating event that can occur with little or no warning. This report details the case of a 63-year-old male experiencing a stroke in the immediate postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty. Risk for perioperative stroke is influenced by age, sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, and some medications. The depressed neurocognitive state of patients recovering from anesthesia warrants special consideration for the identification and management of perioperative stroke.

Perceived Discomfort, Pain and Nonpain Symptoms in a Postanesthesia Care Unit: An Observational Study.

PURPOSE: To assess patient-perceived discomfort in a postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and to explore the contributing symptoms and related characteristics. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observation was used in this study. METHODS: Postgeneral anesthesia patients in a PACU were asked to report their overall discomfort level on a 0 to 10 scale and to report and rank the symptoms they were suffering. All data were analyzed with SPSS software. FINDINGS: The average level of perceived discomfort was 4.90 ± 2.669. A hierarchical regression model showed that pain and nonpain symptoms contributed 0.084 and 0.074 to the overall discomfort level, respectively. Dry mouth, sore throat, and urethral catheter discomfort were the most common nonpain symptoms. Sex, department, anesthesia duration, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification and other symptoms were all related to symptom reports. CONCLUSIONS: PACU patients suffer medium levels of discomfort, with pain and nonpain symptoms contributing nearly equally to it. In addition, multiple related characteristics were identified.

Nursing Perceptions and Workload Impact of a Standardized Emergence Delirium Assessment Scale in a Postanesthesia Care Unit.

PURPOSE: Emergence delirium (EDL) is a psychomotor behavioral phenomenon that occurs immediately after emergence from general anesthesia. EDL is nearly 1.5 times more common among military than nonmilitary patients. Indirect delirium scales have precluded understanding of EDL in military patients. This quality improvement project assesses the feasibility of adopting a population-specific scale, the Emergence Delirium in the Wounded Warrior (ED-WW) Tool. DESIGN: Pre-post implementation design. METHODS: Postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses were surveyed on the clinical utility of the ED-WW Tool and its impact on their workload. The incidence of EDL behaviors in a Veterans Administration PACU was also recorded using the ED-WW Tool. FINDINGS: PACU nurses agreed the ED-WW Tool was of clinical value to military patients and had a very low workload impact. Twenty-one percent of patients demonstrated at least one behavior associated with EDL. CONCLUSIONS: ED-WW Tool adoption is clinically feasible and recommended for practice.

Implementation of an Obstructive Sleep Apnea Protocol in the Postanesthesia Care Unit for Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion Surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a postanesthesia care unit (PACU) obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) protocol in patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery. DESIGN: The structure of this project was a preimplementation and postimplementation design. METHODS: A convenience sample of 63 patients admitted to the PACU after spinal fusion surgery, with diagnosed or high-risk OSA, was included in protocol implementation. FINDINGS: The prevalence of diagnosed and high-risk OSA at the project implementation site totaled 74% in the spinal fusion population. The incidence of oxygen desaturations was 41% in the preimplementation group and 35% in the postimplementation group. The PACU to intensive care unit transfers were 10% in the preimplementation group and 3% in the postimplementation group. CONCLUSIONS: Protocols for surgical patients with OSA require further examination but may function as a guide for postoperative nursing care.

Decreasing the Incidence of Postoperative Urinary Retention and Incontinence With Total Joint Replacement Patients After Spinal Anesthesia in the Postanesthesia Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project.

PURPOSE: Patients with postoperative urinary retention (POUR) can develop bladder atrophy, urinary incontinence, and hypertension. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement standardized guidelines for bladder scanning for patients who have total knee or hip replacement to decrease POUR and incontinent episodes. DESIGN: A retrospective descriptive study was implemented in a 425-bed Magnet community hospital. METHODS: Patients were bladder scanned within the first hour of postanesthesia care unit admission. Straight catheterization was performed for those who had more than 400 mL of retained urine. The protocol included both total knee and total hip replacement surgeries with spinal anesthesia. Compliance with scanning, percentages with POUR, and incontinent episodes were reviewed. FINDINGS: POUR was detected in 46% of total knee replacement patients and 36% of total hip replacement patients. Incontinence rates for knee replacement patients decreased by 14% and by 2% for patients with total hip replacements. CONCLUSIONS: A bladder scanning protocol decreases postoperative incontinence. Bladder scanning also helps to decrease POUR by decreasing the potential risk of complications.

Nicotine addiction management following surgery: a quality improvement approach in the post anesthesia care unit.

QUALITY PROBLEM: For smokers, hospital admission is accompanied by forced involuntary nicotine abstinence due to smoke-free site/grounds policies. An audit of patients admitted to our surgical wards revealed that identification of smoking status was inadequate and that nicotine addiction management (NAM) was infrequently offered. The project aimed to enhance both these metrics by initiating NAM in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). INITIAL ASSESSMENT: Out of 744 patients admitted to our PACU in August 2015, 54% had their smoking status documented. The 200 patients (27%) out of the 744 were smokers and only 50% were offered NAM before discharge. CHOICE OF SOLUTION: PACU unit staff to determine the smoking status of every patient before discharge from the PACU (later changed to OR nursing staff) and, if a patient was identified as a smoker, to offer NRT (patch and mouth spray only) and initiate therapy prior to transfer of the patient to the ward. IMPLEMENTATION: Data about number of patients admitted, presence of documented smoking status, number of identified smokers, and number offered/accepted nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were collected at baseline and thereafter quarterly. Engaging video education sessions addressed the education gaps highlighted in a needs assessment. Identification of smoking status was made part of preoperative checklist and NRT was made available in post-operative recovery room. RESULTS: These interventions resulted in an increase in screening for tobacco use from 54% at baseline to 95% and the offer of NRT to smokers from 50 to 89%.

Estimating Respiratory Rate in Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Patients Using Infrared Thermography: An Observational Study.

The post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) is the central hub for recovery after surgery, especially when the surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Aside from clinical aspects, respiratory impairment is one of the major causes of morbidity and affected recovery in the PACU and should therefore be monitored. In previous studies, infrared thermography was applied to assess the breathing rate (BR) of healthy volunteers. Here, the transferability of published methods for postoperative patients in the PACU was examined. Video recordings of 28 patients were acquired using a long-wave infrared camera, and analyzed offline. For validation purposes, BRs derived from body surface electrocardiography were measured simultaneously. In general, a close agreement between the two techniques (r = 0.607, p = 0.002 upon arrival, and r = 0.849, p < 0.001 upon discharge from the PACU) was obtained. In conclusion, the algorithm was demonstrated to be feasible and reliable under these challenging conditions.

Efficacy of an Ice Popsicle on Thirst Management in the Immediate Postoperative Period: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Perioperative thirst is an intense discomfort with high incidence in the immediate postoperative period, but nonetheless, it is highly neglected in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an ice popsicle compared with water at room temperature for thirst relief in the immediate postoperative period in terms of variation in the intensity of the initial compared with the final thirst and the satiety reached after an hour of evaluation and intervention. DESIGN: A parallel randomized clinical trial was used. METHODS: A total of 208 patients in the immediate postoperative period were assessed for 1 hour, every 15 minutes. Thirst intensity was assessed initially and subsequently; interventions were performed according to the group: (1) control group, 10 mL of water at room temperature; and (2) experimental group, 10-mL ice popsicle. FINDINGS: The ice popsicle was 37.8% (P < .01) more effective than water regarding the intensity variation between the initial and final thirst. The thirst intensity and number of interventions were different for the two groups as from the second moment (P < .01). Regarding not reaching satiety after an hour of evaluation and intervention, the relative risk was 41%, the relative risk reduction was 59%, the absolute risk reduction was 31%, and the number needed to treat was 3.2. CONCLUSIONS: Ice popsicle has greater efficacy than water at room temperature for thirst management in the immediate postoperative period.

Analysis of specialized nursing on respiratory functions in thoracotomy patients.

To analyze the nursing effect on the respiratory function of thoracotomy patients, sixty thoracotomy hospitalized patients were studied. The subjects were divided into a normal group (A) and an observation group (B). The patients in group A received routine nursing only, while those in group B received chest physiotherapy as well as routine nursing. Afterwards, the respiratory function indicators of the two groups were compared and a data analysis was performed. The results showed that the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) value of the patients in group B was greater than that of the patients in group A while the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) value in group B was smaller than that in group A, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (p less than 0.05). The vital capacity under normal circumstances and forced breathing of group B were greater than that of group A and the difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). The incidence of complications (atelectasis, respiratory infections, pleural effusion) was statistically significant between the two groups (p less than 0.05). The degree of autonomic respiratory dysfunction in group B was lower than that in group A, and there was a significant difference (p less than 0.05), suggesting that the respiratory function in patients receiving chest physiotherapy improved significantly.

At the Post-anaesthesia Care Unit.

Pierre is assigned to the Post-operational Recovery room. The care team comprises two anaesthetic nurses, a trainee anaesthetic nurse, a qualified registered nurse, and a healthcare assistant. In addition, an anaesthetist is available to intervene at any time.