YOUR TRIP TO THE RECOVERY ROOM (PACU)
When your surgery is complete, you will be brought to the Recovery Room (PACU). Anyone receiving anesthesia assistance or sedation during their procedure will be transferred to the Recovery Room (PACU) while lying on a stretcher (gurney or portable narrow bed). Patients who receive a local anesthesia (just the area of the procedure is numbed) will ambulate to the recovery room with their OR nursing staff.

UPON ARRIVAL TO THE RECOVERY ROOM (PACU)
Your Recovery Room (PACU) RN will meet you at the first phase of our recovery room and introduce him/herself. There will seem to be a lot of activity while the RN receives a report from the surgical team. This helps us to better understand you and what you have experienced intraoperatively so that we can provide the quality care that you deserve postoperatively. The nurse will perform an initial assessment and will place some monitoring equipment on you that you will be already be familiar with from the Operating Room. The blood pressure cuff is automatic and will be taken every 15 minutes. You will be assessed frequently for pain management and monitored for any postoperative symptoms. If you have received anesthesia assistance or sedation, or if it is medically required, an oxygen mask will be placed on or near your nose.

HOW LONG WILL I REMAIN IN THE RECOVERY ROOM (PACU)?
For patients who receive anesthesia assistance or sedation intraoperatively, the average recovery time is 1½ hour. You will stay on the stretcher on which you were transferred to the Recovery Room (PACU) for approximately one hour of that time. Once you are alert and awake, you will be provided light nourishment: fluids and crackers. We will assist you to a recliner chair in our second stage of the recovery room just a few steps away. For patients who receive local anesthesia (just the area of the procedure is numbed), the average recovery time is ½ hour. Upon arrival to the unit you will be provided some light nourishment: fluids and crackers.

VISITING AN ADULT PATIENT
The first phase of your recovery is limited to one visit made by 1-2 of your significant others for a brief 5 minutes. This provides you with the time needed to recover from anesthetics, sedation, or the stress from your procedure. Once you are in the second phase area of the recovery room (PACU), your escort may stay with you for the rest of your recovery time.

VISITING A PEDIATRIC PATIENT
Parents accompanying children under the age of 18 must remain with their child for the entire recovery period.