Alone in the PACU

[Statdotcom]

Hi Everyone.

Do any other PACU nurses work alone on call?  I work at a very small hospital and when the OR staff leaves after a surgery, in the evening or middle of the night, the on call PACU nurse is by herself.  The PACU is isolated and no one could hear you if you shouted. I've never heard of this at any other hospital I've worked at.  When I was a circulator at a larger hospital I was required to stay with the PACU nurse (if she was alone) until she could transfer the patient.  This smaller hospital says the recovery nurse could call the house supervisor if necessary.  That wouldn't make me feel better if my patient was in trouble. I wondered if this is common in other places?

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

On 4/17/2021 at 6:51 PM, Statdotcom said:

They always give us some version of It's Always Been Done Like This.  Very frustrating.  

I would be surprised if the state agency for licensing them doesn’t have standards that mirror the one already quoted. Might want to make an anonymous call to them and ask.