Local and regional anesthesia. Nursing implications

Local and regional anesthesia offers many advantages and is relatively safe, resulting primarily in positive outcomes for the patient. The potential for complications and the need for patient education, however, dictate that the PACU nurse prepare the patient appropriately, remain vigilant, and initiate the necessary measures for monitoring and intervention when caring for such patients in both the preanesthesia and postanesthesia phases. Local and regional anesthetic agents and techniques have been discussed along with their implications for nursing care. Readers are also encouraged to consult the references and their own institutional policies for additional information.