Learning Report:
What were your responsibilities this week?
This Week I went to PACU or Post Anesthesia Care Unit and worked with
their staff, mainly RNs. I was able to observe a patient in surgery for a
total knee replacement and the measures taken for them to recuperate.I observed how health care professionals administer pain medication, check for vital signs and monitor them.
What new knowledge or skill did you learn this week?
At the PACU, I learned that the priority of PACU staff is to monitor patients
after operations in order to ensure their safety and health. I also
learned that a patients vital signs must be checked and recorded every
10 minutes if patient is stable, more often if patient is unstable. In addition,
postoperative medication might be given to patients in order to reduce
anxiety, decrease secretions, and to control nausea and vomiting because
anesthesia tends to make patients nauseous and/or induce shaking.
What was the best thing that happened at the unpaid work-based learning site this week?
The best part about visiting the PACU this week was seeing a patient who had received a ICBG (Iliac Crest Bone Graft) done to his molars because they were very weak. Although I was not able to see this procedure, the nurse gave me a quick overview. An ICBG is when bone marrow is taken from the posterior iliac crest (which is located at the waistline), so the surgeon can graft it into the desired area of the patient.
What was the worst thing that happened at the unpaid work-based learning site this week?
Nothing bad happened at the PACU this week. The nurses as well a few patients were friendly and on the second day the PACU had about three patients.
This week was: Good
The PACU had enthusiastic and funny employees, which made my experience fun.
They explained what they were doing and the various equipments they
used. I also found the conditions of patients to be interesting and
liked talking to some of them.
Experience Record:
Technology Observed: Ohmeda vacuum - measures pressure, oxygen tubes, Executone™ patient assistance caller, Slit Lamp - used for the eye.
Diagnostic Procedures Observed: taking vital signs such as breathing, blood pressure, pulse, etc. The blood pressure for a patient I observed was 116/75, pulse was 92 bpm, and her oxygen saturation was 98.
Therapeutic procedures observed: Therapy was not conducted this week at the PACU.
Diseases/ Disorders Observed: A 65 year old man had a ICBG done to his molars because they were weak. During this procedure, the surgeon took the bone marrow from his iliac crest and grafted it to the desired area in the mouth.
Medical Terminology: While assessing a patient in their room, I heard the word 'ovarian cysts'. This refers to cystic tumor (usually benign) in the ovary.
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| An overview on how a ICBG is done |
Experience Journal:
The environment of PACU was very calm and quiet because patients are
usually resting after surgery. However when there are not many patients
the staff is very lively yet busy charting. When I first arrived in PACU
the staff greeted me and there were not any patients there. However, on the second day, there were three patients in the PACU. The
role of all staff in PACU is to monitor postoperative patients and
provide care. Some of the equipment they use are EKGs, Pyxis Medstation
and many others.
The staff in PACU all work together as well as with patients to achieve their goals. They work together well and cooperate with each other and the OR staff as well. The staff is friendly and courteous, ready to assist the patients. The staff all have great communication skills in order to perform their tasks effectively. Along with communicating well with their fellow employees, they are also very gentle with the patients, who are still experiencing the feelings of anesthesia. They also perform safety procedures such as hand washing and asepsis.
This week in PACU I observed a post op patient with a knee replacement as well a 65 year old man who had an Iliac Crest Bonde Graft (ICBG) done. During this procedure, the surgeon took the bone marrow from his iliac crest and grafted it to the desired area in the mouth, which was the molars. I also learned the difference between anesthesia's, local anesthesia outlasts operation but wears off approximately in 1-4 hours. Regional means that only a region of the body is anesthetized. Spinal Anesthesia numbs the lower half of the body and is local anesthesia injected into the lumbar region which lasts two to six hours. General anesthesia is intravenously administered or by gas and is a state of induced coma where the whole body is affected.
During my time at PACU I learned valuable information that will help me in my future health care career. This will both personally and educationally benefit me if I am interested in becoming a PACU nurse, anesthesiologist, or even a surgeon. While I was at PACU and I also learned about the staff's careers. It was a very interesting experience and I would like to go again.
The staff in PACU all work together as well as with patients to achieve their goals. They work together well and cooperate with each other and the OR staff as well. The staff is friendly and courteous, ready to assist the patients. The staff all have great communication skills in order to perform their tasks effectively. Along with communicating well with their fellow employees, they are also very gentle with the patients, who are still experiencing the feelings of anesthesia. They also perform safety procedures such as hand washing and asepsis.
This week in PACU I observed a post op patient with a knee replacement as well a 65 year old man who had an Iliac Crest Bonde Graft (ICBG) done. During this procedure, the surgeon took the bone marrow from his iliac crest and grafted it to the desired area in the mouth, which was the molars. I also learned the difference between anesthesia's, local anesthesia outlasts operation but wears off approximately in 1-4 hours. Regional means that only a region of the body is anesthetized. Spinal Anesthesia numbs the lower half of the body and is local anesthesia injected into the lumbar region which lasts two to six hours. General anesthesia is intravenously administered or by gas and is a state of induced coma where the whole body is affected.
During my time at PACU I learned valuable information that will help me in my future health care career. This will both personally and educationally benefit me if I am interested in becoming a PACU nurse, anesthesiologist, or even a surgeon. While I was at PACU and I also learned about the staff's careers. It was a very interesting experience and I would like to go again.
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