Introduction:
To create a safe PACU care, nurses need to have specific competence. There are few studies investigating PACU care from the nurse’s perspective and there is limited knowledge about patients’ experiences of early recovery and PACU care. Therefore, the aim was to describe PACU care and early recovery from the nurse’s and the patient’s perspectives.
Method:
Data was collected in two qualitative studies. Participants were recruited from two hospitals located in different parts of Sweden. Nurses were eligible if >1 year of experience from PACU care. Patients were eligible if the expected PACU stay was >2 hours. Semi structured individual interviews were carried out. In total 16 nurses and 14 patients were interviewed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis (1).
Result:
Nurse’s perspectives Nurses described PACU care competence as being adaptable in an ever-changing environment and creating safe care. That included being independent, working jointly in the team, and to prioritize and make clinical decisions. To create a safe care possessing specific knowledge, acknowledging and reassuring the patient, and to work proactively were important factors (2).
Patient’s perspectives Patients described being in a transition between surgery and ward . That was captured in the subthemes Being in-between points of care, Being in PACU surroundings, Being individually acknowledged, Feeling trust in the caring provided, Feeling dehumanized and abandoned (3).