Protocols for Postanesthesia Care Unit Handoff and Patient Safety: A Scoping Review

To map studies that tested an intervention orienting patient transfer to Postanesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and identify outcomes related to care safety.

Scoping review guided by recommendations of the JBI Manual and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guide. The Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework was used to develop the research question and consolidate inclusion and exclusion criteria in databases consulted without date parameters. The review protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework.

The systematic search identified 182 records. After reading their titles and abstracts, 49 studies were read in full. The final sample consisted of 17 texts published between 2013 and 2024. The main elements evaluated in the implementation of interventions to guide patient transfer to the PACU related to patient safety were as follows: increase in the number of transferred information; higher rates of professional satisfaction with teamwork; presence of surgical professionals; questions from the receiver and adequacy to the instrument. Also was identified a pause to monitor the patient before the transfer and reduction of omitting information, interruptions, distractions, task errors, hypoxemia, nausea, vomiting and excessive pain.

The variables evaluated after the interventions to promote a structured patient transfer to the PACU have the potential to guide the development of quality assessment indicators and contribute to the promotion of a safety culture in institutions.

Considering the constant increase in complexity and demand for perioperative care, the investigation of patient transfer processes to the PACU can provide support for the management of surgical practices and contribute to improving patient safety and the experience of the health professionals involved.

No patient or public contribution. OSF registration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/M2FYN.