Post Anaesthetic Recovery Unit Nurse: Physical and Emotional Safety

Running Head: PARU 1
Post Anaesthetic Recovery Unit Nurse: Physical and Emotional Safety (Module 1,
2 and 3)
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation
1706 Words

2
Module 1
Physical and Emotional Safety
Post-operative nurses ensure that suitable patient nursing care is implemented after
surgery (Bingham, Walsh & Ford, 2018). They assess the physical, psychological and
social statuses of patients after the surgical procedures. Safety issues arise quite often after
surgeries necessitating the presence of post-operative nurses. The nurses help to alleviate
physical pain that results from surgical operations as well as provide emotional support.
These nurses ensure that patients are fully conscious, have a satisfactory health condition
and no infections affect the surgical wounds at the time of recovery (Akhtar, 2013). Post-
operative nurse ensure that the mistakes done by peri-operative nurses are corrected.
However, extreme workload, shortage of staff, training and equipment challenges
compromise the patient’s safety (Redley et al., 2016). These factors contribute to stress in
nurses thereby affecting their performance (Lim, 2018).
Post Anaesthetic Recovery Unit Nursing
Post anaesthetic recovery nursing involves the assessment and management of
patients in the early stages of recovery period after a surgical or anaesthetic procedure
(Nursing, 2017). Post anaesthetic observation of patients is an important requirement in
patients’ assessment and analysis of medical deterioration in anaesthetic and surgical
procedures (Melbourne, 2018). This assessment seeks to outline the safety issues that arise
during the post anaesthetic recovery unit nursing. Post anaesthetic recovery unit nurses
ensure that patients are coping well and help them stay safe after surgeries. The post-
operative care nurses assess the patients regularly; ensure careful monitoring and
appropriate documentation of the patient’s escalation ultimately. Post-operative care
involves the evaluation of the major systems of the body, for instance, cardiovascular,
renal and respiratory systems (Akhtar, 2013). The nurses also ensure that there is sufficient
relief of pain and systemic inflammatory response to infection.
There are several factors that the nurses at post-anaesthetic recovery unit check for.
These include; patient outcomes after interventions, omissions from plan of care, adverse
events, unusual assessments and social issues (Melbourne, 2018). The nurses ensure that
the pain is effectively and sufficiently managed, the plan of care is comprehensive and the
patient is safe from infections. An assortment of mechanisms is implemented globally to
distinguish and regulate specialty practices, for instance, licensing, endorsements,
validations, certifications and credentials (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia,
2018). Nurses at this speciality unit portray superlative characteristics and skills that the

3
regular registered nurses do not possess. These nurses practice independently and
interdependently accountably and responsibly, manage the pain of patients effectively,
coordinate with other health professionals, possess perfect verbal and communication
skills, practice in accordance with the laws and procedures of nursing guidelines and make
evidence-informed decisions. These skills enable the nurses to easily stabilize a patient’s
condition.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical nurse specialists (CNS) are advanced practice registered nurses that work
as professionals in evidence-based nursing practice within a number of diverse specialty
areas (What is a Clinical Nurse Specialist, 2018). They incorporate their progressive
knowledge of disease processes in assessments, diagnoses and handling patient ailments.
However, their role spread out past providing patient care. The ultimate objective of
clinical nurse specialist is to offer safe, quality and economical specialty care while
working to improve the healthcare system as well. They specialize in a variety of clinical
practices, namely, type of care, medical disorders, type of problem, population and the
setting.
Advanced Nursing Practice
This is a range along which nurses advance their proficient knowledge, clinical
judgement and reasoning skills and behaviors to greater levels are perceptible (Nursing
and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2018). Nurses practising ANP integrate proficient
leadership, education and research skills into their practice. They practice effectively,
safely, accountably and responsibly within a specialist scope.
Advanced Practice Nursing
APN is distinguished from other nursing practices by the extra legislative functions
and necessities of the nursing practitioner authorization (Nursing and Midwifery Board of
Australia, 2018). The requirements include a detailed advanced nursing practice
experience, approved educational level and persistent proficient development.