PCA's in PACU

we always started the PCAs in PACU. always.

Had an admit from PACU today s/p partial gastrectomy....she arrived with a PCA. So, yeah

In my hospital, anesthesia orders all PCA and it is ALWAYS started in PACU.

We generally start PCA's if it is a floor patient waiting on a room and we have used all that our docs have ordered. Then we get an order that we may use surgeons post-op orders for pain control. "May start PCA in PACU" We always start femoral infusions and epidurals in pacu.

The hospital I'm at does start them in PACU.

We just started doing the PCA's in PACU about 2 months ago. Prior to that we had no means to refrigerate them (we don't have pyxis). It's not so bad because you can get it done quickly when there are so many other RN's right in the room to set it up with you. At first we were afraid that it would be too time consuming, but, all in all it's OK. The nurses on the floor really appreciate it.

We do not start PCA's in our PACU, but we do start epidural and continuous nerve block medications.

Any place that I have worked PACU, the PACU RNs start the PCA or at least set it up and send it to the floor with the patient. That way all the floor nurse has to do is turn the PCA on, make sure it is programed properly and start the paper work. Epidurals are also started in the PACU but that is because we have to verify that neurovascular status has returned to the limbs before the epidural can be started.

We start PCA's in PACU, also. If we send the patient to the floor without it, they have to call the IV team to start the PCA and it is not in the best interest of the patient or the nurse. It's quick and easy during "regular" hours but takes longer for the pharmacy to get it to us on nights.