Preferences for Visitation in the PACU.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Experience
• Surgical Care

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial in healthcare settings.
• Understanding patient family needs in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is vital for improving care quality.
• Visitation policies in PACUs can significantly impact family satisfaction and patient recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the preferred methods and timing for receiving updates and visitation for patients in the PACU.
• To analyze how visitor characteristics influence these preferences.
• To inform the development of patient-centered PACU visitation guidelines.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, descriptive study design was employed.
• A convenience sample of 249 PACU visitors completed a survey on five update/visitation options and visitor demographics.
• Visitation responses were ranked and compared based on visitor characteristics.

Main Results:

• The most preferred option was a one-time, 5- to 10-minute visit within two hours of patient transfer to the PACU (27.3%).
• No single visitation option was significantly preferred by all visitors.
• Close family members preferred a one-time visit, while distant relatives/friends favored a verbal report 30 minutes post-PACU arrival (P = .015).

Conclusions:

• PACU visitor preferences for updates and visitation are diverse.
• Tailoring communication and visitation strategies based on visitor relationships (e.g., close family vs. others) may enhance satisfaction.
• Findings support the need for flexible PACU visitation policies that accommodate varying visitor needs.