PACU Responsibilities:
- Observe a registered nurse helping patients recover from surgery
- Information must be repeated to patients is crucial because they are sometimes not aware of what is happening after surgery.
- Monitoring the level of pain from the patient is important in the PACU to determine if additional medication is needed.
- Encourage patients to cough and take deep breaths after surgery is needed to help the patients get back to normal.
- The nurse monitored my heart using a heart monitor and performed an EKG to show me what the machine did.
- I was not ready to leave when my time was done. I really enjoyed PACU.
I was able to observe a pediatric patient coming out of surgery which is rare since we are not allowed to interact with pediatric patients.
Technology Experience Record:
Computer charting
EKG
Heart Monitor
Vital Signs
Heart Monitor
Vital Signs
Diagnostic Procedures Observed:
No diagnostic procedures were observed.
Therapeutic Procedures Observed:
Pain medication was given to patients after surgery.
Medical Terminology Abbreviations Encountered:
EKG- Electrocardiogram
Appendectomy- Surgical removal of the appendix
PACU Journal:
When I went to the PACU I thought it would be boring since other students had told me that it was not busy. I was surprised to find more than half of the beds were occupied during my rotation. It was going to be a busy day.
The Charge Nurse asked me if I wanted to be hooked up to a heart monitor and she wanted to run an EKG. It was a training heart monitor and EKG. The nurse was trying to show me how the use the machines. At first I was confused, but it was like a training session. I even received a print out of my heart activity.
The first patient I observed was an older lady. It looked like she had surgery on her foot. Her foot was in a big boot. The nurse that was watching her and was asking her about her level of pain from 1-10. The nurses were dispensing medication. The patient's throat was scratchy and the nurse gave her ice, which should help relieve the scratchy throat.
The charge nurse told me that a pediatric patient was coming out of an appendectomy. The patient came into the room and was hooked up to all of the machines. The nurse was waiting for the doctor's orders for the pain medication. Fifteen minutes went by and she did not receive any orders from the doctor. The nurse seemed confused. She told the Anesthesiologist that she needed orders for pain medication because if the patient woke up, they would be in a lot of pain. Finally after another ten minutes she was able to talk to the doctor. The nurse was glad she received the pain medication orders. The child's parents came into the PACU and I was able to see their reaction. I could tell they were worried but relieved that everything seemed good for their child.
This rotation was great. I would love to go back and observe more. The overall experience was good because I shadowed another good nurse. Every single person in the PACU was passionate about what they did. They were more than willing to teach me about what they were doing.
When I went to the PACU I thought it would be boring since other students had told me that it was not busy. I was surprised to find more than half of the beds were occupied during my rotation. It was going to be a busy day.
The Charge Nurse asked me if I wanted to be hooked up to a heart monitor and she wanted to run an EKG. It was a training heart monitor and EKG. The nurse was trying to show me how the use the machines. At first I was confused, but it was like a training session. I even received a print out of my heart activity.
The first patient I observed was an older lady. It looked like she had surgery on her foot. Her foot was in a big boot. The nurse that was watching her and was asking her about her level of pain from 1-10. The nurses were dispensing medication. The patient's throat was scratchy and the nurse gave her ice, which should help relieve the scratchy throat.
The charge nurse told me that a pediatric patient was coming out of an appendectomy. The patient came into the room and was hooked up to all of the machines. The nurse was waiting for the doctor's orders for the pain medication. Fifteen minutes went by and she did not receive any orders from the doctor. The nurse seemed confused. She told the Anesthesiologist that she needed orders for pain medication because if the patient woke up, they would be in a lot of pain. Finally after another ten minutes she was able to talk to the doctor. The nurse was glad she received the pain medication orders. The child's parents came into the PACU and I was able to see their reaction. I could tell they were worried but relieved that everything seemed good for their child.
This rotation was great. I would love to go back and observe more. The overall experience was good because I shadowed another good nurse. Every single person in the PACU was passionate about what they did. They were more than willing to teach me about what they were doing.
I'm so glad you are getting great experiences. I appreciate your enthusiasm. Keep being excited, you'll go far.
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