Postanesthesia care unit management
The pediatric postanesthesia care unit is an environment where a child is able to recover from their anesthesia safely and comfortably. However, there are many requirements that must be met for these goals to be achieved. The equipment and monitoring that are necessary for a safe recovery must be appropriately sized for the child and readily available. Postanesthesia care unit providers must have the ability to recognize a problem, act immediately, and know how to communicate the issues effectively in this environment where complications that may occur can be devastating. In addition to diagnosing and treating respiratory and hemodynamic issues, one must be able to determine causes of delayed emergence and also know how to manage emergence agitation, pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting. It is this balance that makes the postanesthesia care unit a dynamic place where the overall perioperative management of a child can be enhanced with the proper care.
