Ever carry a patient to PACU?

[hypnus]

Have any of you ever carried a pedi patient to PACU? Awake, breathing, can visualize skin for color, etc. Long story but facility I was at expected this.

[BSN06]

I have not carried a pediatric patient to PACU, but the concern is what would you do if the "pink" skin were suddenly turning blue? I heard a CRNA present at a conference and told a story of this happening to her at one time. Long story short you can't do much because your hands are full carrying the child. Her advise, and experienced CRNAs agreed, is to never do this.

Sounds like you did not agree with that hospitals way of carrying kids to recovery. I would not be comfortable with that either.

[whatzup]

I completely agree. In 22+ years in the OR, I had never seen this practice until I just recently came to a new organization. It happens on a daily basis. There is no stretcher or crib "following" the anes provider. Often the child is screaming and flailing to the point that one was almost dropped and another injured from thashing about when being handed to a student nurse sitting in a rocker. I've been mortified by this practice. A post-op pyl.stenosis infant was carried, blanket was hanging to the floor and CRNA hurrying to get to PACU...the nurse holding the IV couldn't follow closely because of the dragging blanket, there was no crib/stretcher in PACU and the IV access was lost. It took 6 sticks to get line back in. I think it safe to say that all organizations have a policy that patients are to be transported "ambulatory, by stretcher, bed, or wheelchair"...when it comes to little ones, a crib is a bed. Regardless of ASA standards...safe transport is defined by the policy unless the policy contradicts SAFE patient practice. Just my two cents...I really wish I could have the story from your conference to share with the providers here. Interestingly enough, it is the CRNA's that are most resistent to stopping the practice than the docs....I always thought the CRNA's were more patient focused than the docs....in 22+ years...you can still learn something.......

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

I routinely extubate my pediatric patients deep, and place them on the bed for transport to the PACU. I have carried the patient to PACU once or twice d/t some cluster in the OR, but routinely the only reason I would do it is to keep the patient from falling off the stretcher.

So far, I am the only idiot that I know of that has ever rolled off the stretcher going from surgery to PACU, but apparently (as I am the evidence) it can happen....