Patient transport from PACU

1. How are patients being transported from the PACU? We use transporters for the majority. PACU nurses go with critical, cardiac, ASA 4, or those receiving blood. Our hospital is again looking at sending PACU nurses with all patients. I worry about staffing in the PACU if this occurs. How does your hospital handle this. How does this affect staffing in the PACU?

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2. 4 Comments

   Comment
3. 
   Oct 31, '11

   We accompany all patients going to ICU, which covers pretty well all the categories you describe. For other patients, a ward nurse comes to theater to collect her patient and one of our porters helps her get the patient back to the ward. This system was introduced precisely because of staffing issues in PACU.
   
   The only time one of us accompanies stable patients back to the ward is when the ward itself has staffing problems, provided, of course, that we can spare our own staff.
4. 
   Oct 31, '11

   Thank you for your response. As you know, nursing is forever changing. I am happy to see a site like this one where I can learn how others are handling issues. It sounds like your unit has the support it needs.
5. 
   Nov 4, '11

   All patients except for Same Day Surgery patients must have an RN transport them along with an attendant.
6. 
   Dec 14, '11

   Only patients that needs ICU care are being accompanied by a PACU Nurse but other than that the wards nurses come and accompany their patients back.

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