Ever carried a patient to PACU?

SneakySnake · Jun 17, 2011

I don't know about a pedi pt. but we could NOT carry infant patients to transport them......

merlee · Jun 17, 2011

For the most part, this is not the safest way to go.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jun 17, 2011

My son had hernia surgery. His godmother was a PACU nurse. She carried him from surgery to PACU...

brownbook · Jun 17, 2011

Yes we allow it. Of course it depends on the child, the surgery, the size and age of the child, and the size and age of the anesthesiologists!!

Modern anesthesia is so wonderful. Many patients, including pedi patients, wake up after surgery is over while still in the OR. A normal pedi patient does not like to be lying down once they are awake. They want to sit up, get up, see mom and dad, etc. The anesthesiologits will carry them in their arms to the PACU.

Isn't that better than staff struggling to hold down a crying squirming child on a gurney?

hypnus · Jun 17, 2011

Brownbook, do you mind me asking where work? A locum CRNA at the facility thought it was so weird, said he hadn't seen anyone do it in his 35 years of practice. But I've seen it done at other facilities so long as the patient is not having airway issues. My patient was awake, moving all extremities, head lifting, yawning, etc. This was after a BMT only, about a 15 minute case. Thoughts? Comments?

MannaKay · Jun 17, 2011

I'm in nursing school and did OR rotation last semester and was the "baby holder" on one of my PACU days. It was ENT day, tons of T&As and tubes, they carried almost all of the little ones back from surgery and handed them off to me to hold. The only one I didn't was a 3 yr old with a special ear bandage. As they usually have a designated 'baby holder' I assume it's standard practice in their PACU.

hypnus · Jun 17, 2011

mannakay, did the CRNA or anesthesiologist actually carry the kiddo from the OR to PACU or did they remove them from the crib upon arrival for you to hold? Can you tell me what facility this was at? I am trying to find enough resources to hopefully make a project regarding this issue in support of this practice when the patient is evaluated to be "safe" for this type of post-op transport.

MannaKay · Jun 18, 2011

Anesthesia carried them and the OR nurse would follow with the bed. They handed them to me and made sure I was holding them safely before they left.

brownbook · Jun 18, 2011

I work in a independant out patient surgery center. It is a nation wide chain, we are in California.

Same as mannakay. The OR nurse walks with them bringing the bed or crib. They hand over the child to the PACU RN and help him or her settle the pedi into the bed. Sometimes they even just hold the child until the parents are brought back, we settle mom or dad in a padded lounge chair and hand them the child. We can connect O2 sat monitors and BP' cuffs (if they even want BP's) to the child while in mom's arms.

I'm afraid, but only guessing, if you check out resources and make a project you will find this is all completely unsafe, illegal, against all ASA protocol, etc. Who cares what common sense and patient comfort is. We must follow the PROTOCOL!!!!!!

hypnus · Jun 18, 2011

Probably right about resources, but the standard of practice is what is actually happening out there in the real world. The more realistic resources that can be produced help support the idea of this practice. If you want to share specific facility info with me just send me a private message, if not I understand.

hypnus · Jun 18, 2011

Brownbook, just FYI I've pasted below the ASA Standards For Postanesthesia Care related to transporting to the PACU and suprisingly it is rather vague. Basically it's up to us to determine how to transport and monitor according to the individual patient!

STANDARD II

A PATIENT TRANSPORTED TO THE PACU SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A MEMBER OF THE ANESTHESIA CARE TEAM WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE PATIENT'S CONDITION. THE PATIENT SHALL BE CONTINUALLY EVALUATED AND TREATED DURING TRANSPORT WITH MONITORING AND SUPPORT APPROPRIATE TO THE PATIENT'S CONDITION.