Post-Anesthesia Care Unit

The Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center provides high acuity recovery services for patients immediately following surgery. A faculty and a resident physician are always available to attend to any emergencies in this setting. For our residents, this is a two week rotation that offers a broad experience in postoperative care for inpatients and outpatients recovering from trauma, pediatric, colorectal, orthopedic, neurosurgical, urologic, plastic, head & neck, thoracic, and gynecologic surgery. Residents will work in the main and pediatric OR PACUs. The staff anesthesiologist covering the PACU provides resident supervision and is always available for any questions or discussions that patients may require. Residents assist in managing emergencies in the PACU as well as assessing and managing common perioperative patient medical issues, including pain, nausea/vomiting, and cardiovascular aberrations. Understanding the roles of nursing and physician staff in the care of postoperative patients is emphasized and incorporated into day-to-day teaching and patient management. The lessons that can be learned from close observation and interaction in the recovery room will color the residents own practice in the future. Therefore, it cannot be overstated how important the PACU is for resident training!

 

Lauren Nakazawa, MD Medical Director, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology