Publication Date
2-20-2024
Degree Awarded Date
December 13, 2024
DOI
https://doi.org/10.48765/s6az-hz44
Abstract
The postanesthesia care unit (PACU) environment must function smoothly as a critical recovery area for monitoring of immediate postoperative patients. Timely responsiveness to complications is imperative to ensure patient safety. Following postanesthesia observation, a patient is discharged from the PACU to home or is admitted to the hospital. If this transition is delayed by excessive discharge times or poorly managed patient adverse events, it can cause major bottlenecks and issues with throughput for the perioperative setting. This project aims to study the present workflow in the PACU, identify gaps in the workflow and provide recommendations to perioperative leadership. Current PACU practices were observed using an assessment tool to establish the barriers to a streamlined PACU workflow at a large urban academic hospital. Reoccurring workflow gaps were determined and collected data was presented to perioperative leadership with recommendations.
Language
English (en)
Document Type
Other
Advisor
Henrichs, Bernadette PhD, CRNA, CCRN, CHSE, FAANA, FAAN (Chair) Barnes Jewish College, Goldfarb School of Nursing
Associated Committee
Abraham, Joanna PhD (Committee member) Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Recommended Citation
McGrath, Laura and Vierod, Emma, "Assessing Workflow in the Postanesthesia Care Unit" (2024). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Student Projects. Paper 17.
https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/dnp_golfarb/17
