Impact of standardized nursing protocols in the post-anesthesia care unit on patient safety during recovery from...

To systematically evaluate the impact of standardized nursing protocols in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) on patient safety, recovery efficiency, and quality of care during the post-anesthesia transition.

A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, to identify randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing standardized PACU nursing protocols with conventional care. The search period extended from database inception to January 20, 2026. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0, with results expressed as mean differences (MD) or odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

A total of 14 studies were included (11 randomized controlled trials and 3 cohort studies), encompassing 4268 patients. Meta-analysis demonstrated that, compared with conventional care, the implementation of standardized nursing protocols significantly reduced the overall incidence of adverse events (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.23-0.60, P < .001) and shortened PACU length of stay (MD = -10.65 minutes, 95% CI: -19.10 to -2.19, P = .01). Furthermore, the standardized protocols were associated with significantly improved patient comfort scores (MD = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.63-2.12, P < .001) and higher nursing satisfaction rates (OR = 3.18, 95% CI: 2.01-5.02, P < .001). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings.

Current evidence indicates that standardized nursing protocols in the PACU significantly enhance patient safety, optimize recovery efficiency, and improve the patient experience. These findings support the widespread clinical adoption and refinement of evidence-based standardized nursing models to minimize perioperative risks.