Measuring productivity of the phase I postanesthesia care unit

Most of the costs of operating a PACU are for the salaries of the nurses. Therefore, the only way to significantly decrease costs of a PACU, without decreasing salaries, is to increase labor productivity. This article discusses the benefits of measuring labor productivity of the PACU. Approaches that a nurse manager of a phase I PACU can use to increase productivity are considered. One way to measure a PACU's productivity is described, which uses data that some PACUs already collect for billing purposes. The measure of productivity considers heterogeneity in nursing requirements among patients (ie, patient acuity). Measuring productivity in this manner encourages hospital managers to maintain quality, in part by following ASPAN standards.