WEEK 13: PACU

This week I did my clinical observations with a nurse. She was one of two nurses and when the patient was delivered a doctor and or anesthesiologist would go over patients' standings. These nurses observed the patient to make sure there were no complications.

Things I learned this week:

• anesthesia wears off moderately fast
• the nurses run the PACU
• Specific procedures for patients waking up from anesthesia

The BEST thing that happened this week was getting to see more varied cases than I would see on a regular basis. I saw a colonoscopy patient, a plastic surgery patient, and a  invasive surgery patient. Most areas have similar cases, this area pulled from different surgical areas.

The WORST thing that happened this week was the fact that the patients were knocked out. There wasn't a lot of action. It was just hook them up and monitor them.

Overall this week was GOOD

What I Observed

Technology

• IV Drip
• Heart Monitor
• Body warmer

Diagnostic Procedures

• Doctor or Anesthesiologist will inform the nurses on the procedure that was done and the patients medical history

Therapeutic Procedures

• narcotics
• pain medications
• IVs
• tablet medications
• shots
• continued anesthesia

Diseases/ Disorders

• Bilateral Breast Augmentation
• Colonoscopy

Medical Terminology/Abbreviations Encountered

• Bilateral Augmentation- a silicone implant was placed through a side insicion
• narcs- narcotic medicatons

Other

• The doctors play very little parts in patient care once they arrive in the PACU and they have discussed history of the patient.

I.
 I worked in the PACU the entire length of my visit. The PACU is found within the OR area and has two automatic doors to allow patient delivery from both the ORs and the day surgery areas. The PACU team consisted of only two permanent nurses the rest of the workers came and went. These two nurses were in charge of maintaining patient stats, administering pain management medication, and sterilizing the area before and after patient admittance and relinquence. The amount of patients vary from only one to four patients at a time.


II.
There was one of every worker. I saw one doctors leading the procedure. The nurses were each assigned up to two patients and helped the other nurses with simple procedures.  The nurses did all the paper work and prep. The prep process included weighing the patient, checking for correct spelling and birth date, checking the procedure, go over the procedure, took prep and did not eat, ask for blood consent, consent to pictures taken for medical records, consent tot student observation, doctor bills separately from hospital, change into gown,go over allergies, get temperature, blood pressure, IV pick line and have the physician and anesthesiologist review the chart.

III.
 I was only allowed to observe. Although the doctor doing the procedure went over ever structure he encountered for me to know what I was seeing. The patients had no issues that came up. The patient was diagnosed by the physician who prescribed medications to reduce the inflammation. Pre-op the patients complained of abdominal pain but the source was not found in the surgery.

IV.
Overall I had a good experience. Educationally I was able to see the GI tract of a live person in real time ,but this was the only observation I was able to make. Everyone was interested in teaching me and had a positive attitude which made me have a positive attitude over the situation.