Responsibilities: To follow around the RN and observe.

Knowledge learned: I learned that the post anesthesia unit is primarily for pain control coming out of surgery.

Best Thing: My nurse really wanted to teach me. She even let me have some of the OJ they give to the patients.

Worst Thing: The hospital wasn't really busy.

This week was fair because there wasn't really much action.


Tech observed: There were a lot of heart monitors next to all the patients beds. IV pumps were hooked up to all the patients administering pain meds.

Diagnostic Procedures: She had to take vitals every 15 minutes which were automatically updated through all of the machines that were already reading her vitals. She manually took the temperature as well as checked the IVs.

Medical Terms: Hydromorphone-  a pain medication that is stronger than morphine.
Vikadin- A very strong pain med.

At MHKH the pacu wasn't very crowded. The people who were there were moaning in pain. The room smelled nice and it was kind of warm. There were a lot of doctors and RNs in the room caring for the patients. All the patients were hooked up to heart monitors and being heavily medicated.

The nurses and doctors work close together after surgery for the best possible care for the patients.They are able to joke around with each other because most of the patients are drowsy or asleep. While the patient are still there, the nurses keep a close eye  on all the monitoring systems. The nurses are very sympathetic yet have to be strong as most of the people when they wake up are moaning in pain.

I learned how medicated the patients have to be and also that the medical field is a painful place. The nurse put a needle into the IV bag to administer hydromorphone which is like morphine but stronger. They also prescribed a lot of vikadin, vallium, and hydrocodone. I also learned that some people react differently to anesthesia than others.

Overall the pacu was a pretty laid-back place. Most of the time they are either charting or giving medication. I had a good time talking to the nurse whom I was easily able to relate to. The place wasn't too busy so I didn't get to see everything I had hoped for. The pacu seems like a fun place to work.