Working alone: can it be done?

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Post-Anesthesia Care

Background:

• The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) Standards of PeriAnesthesia Nursing Practice (1995) mandate a minimum of two nurses in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) during phase I recovery.
• A position paper supporting two nurses in the PACU during phase I recovery was passed at the 1995 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses midyear meeting.
• Despite recommendations, nurses occasionally work alone in the PACU nationwide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the practice of nurses working alone in the PACU.
• To provide strategies for safe and competent patient care in the PACU when staffing is reduced to one nurse.

Main Methods:

• This article is a discussion and strategy-based paper.
• It synthesizes current standards and addresses practical challenges in PACU staffing.