Breathing Betrayals
Patient arrives to PACU with "see-saw" respirations, absent breath sounds, & hypertension.
What is breathing obstruction?
Medication administered prior to intubation to optimize intubating conditions.
What is Anectine (succinylcholine)?
Hand configuration when supporting ventilation with a bag-valve mask.
What is "C" & "E"?
Most common cause of hypotension in the PACU
What is hypovolemia?
This medication is commonly administered in the PACU to reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression.
What is Narcan?
This sudden, involuntary contraction of the vocal cords can completely block the airway, often triggered by irritants during anesthesia or aspiration events.
What is a laryngospasm?
Maneuver performed during intubation to help bring the glottic opening in to view.
What is a BURP maneuver?
Backward
Upward
Rightward Pressure
Definitive treatment for Malignant Hyperthermia.
What is Dantrolene (Ryanodex)?
Scoring system most commonly used in PACU to assess for discharge readiness.
What is an Aldrete score?
In the PACU, this piece of essential equipment is immediately available and used to clear a patient's airway of secretions, blood, or emesis.
What is suction?
This severe, potentially life-threatening reaction can cause a rapid drop in blood pressure, widespread hives, and difficulty breathing, often requiring immediate epinephrine.
What is anaphylaxis?
The most reliable confirmation of correct placement of the endotracheal tube.
What is CO2 detection/capnography?
This post-anesthesia complication is characterized by a state of agitation, disorientation, and uncooperativeness as a patient awakens from general anesthesia, especially common in children.
What is Emergence Delirium?
In the Modified Aldrete Score, a patient who can move two extremities on command would receive this many points for "Activity.
What is 1 point?
Beyond physiological stability, this other common post-operative complaint, often managed with antiemetics like ondansetron or promethazine, must be controlled before a patient is discharged.
What is Post-Operative Nausea & Vomiting?
Following port placement on the right side, a patient develops tachycardia, hypotension, tachypnea, decreased SpO2 and absent breath sounds on the right side.
What is a pneumothorax?
This flexible, coudé-tipped device is used to facilitate endotracheal intubation, especially in cases of an anterior or difficult airway.
What is a bougie/eschmann?
Potential complication while performing an interscalene block, resulting in cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, and hypoxia.
What is LAST (Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity)?
To be considered for discharge of Phase I PACU, a patient needs an Aldrete Score of atleast this number?
What is 9?
Upon a patient's arrival in the PACU, the very first priority for the nurse is to assess this critical body system.
What is the airway?
Maneuver utilized during a laryngospasm
What is a Larson maneuver?
Hard pressure on the angle of the jaw
Device used in a situation where that patient cannot be ventilated with a bag valve mask or intubated.
What is a LMA (laryngeal mask airway)?
Medication used to reverse muscle weakness after paralytic use.
What is Sugammadex (Bridion)?
For a patient to receive 2 points in the "Circulation" category, their systolic blood pressure must be within this percentage range of their pre-anesthetic baseline.
What is ±20% (or ±20% of pre-anesthetic level)?
The most frequent cause of airway obstruction in the PACU, often corrected by a simple head-tilt chin-lift maneuver.
What is the tongue falling back (or soft tissue obstruction)?