Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Perianaesthesia Care Unit (PACU)PACU[Dr Mark Porter, August 2006; revised by Dr Ram Tripathy and Dr DanielAmutike, January 2010]The PACU is a twenty-three-bedded space at the centre of the maintheatre suite on the first floor. Fifteen of the spaces are for immediateadult postanaesthetic recovery, four spaces for paediatric recoveryand two have been specified with equipment suitable for extendedrecovery , including up to level 3 critical care.Dr Daniel Amutike, Dr Liz Summ and Dr Ram Tripathy lead for thedepartment on PACU issues; Mr Oswin Jackson is the charge nursemanaging the area.The general on call consultant anaesthetist is ultimately responsiblefor admissions and care of patients on PACU, supervising theresident on call anaesthetists. The on call anaesthesia teamshould undertake regular review of the extended recoverypatients including a 08.00 and 17.00 ward round. The anaesthesiateam should involve the relevant surgical team in managementdecisions.Extended recovery is designed for patients who will require a stay ofno more than twenty-four hours before their return to a standardsurgical ward.Patients who are predicted during their preoperative assessment asrequiring care for twenty-four hours or more at levels 2 or 3 should betransferred directly to the critical care unit after their operation.Overflow critical care patients: if UHCW critical care capacity isexhausted, extended recovery capacity may be utilised. Suchpatients will remain under the medical care and responsibility of thecritical care team. Maximum length of stay will be twenty-four hours.It is not appropriate to admit patients to extended recovery who haverecently relocated or stepped down from higher levels of care.Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010 51