Critical incident stress debriefing: Application for perianesthesia nurses

Abstract

THE HALLMARK QUALITY of perianesthesia nurses—what sets experts apart—may well be the management of emergent, unexpected incidents with numerous patients in rapid succession.We care for vulnerable patients, frequently without the benefit of patient history, a chart to review, or a knowledgeable resource for pertinent information. We move on to the next patient, the next challenge, smoothly and automatically. Our focus on real or potential problems, with assessment skills and critical care competencies, assists us to ease the transitions patients undergo while in our units. We handle stressful situations for our patients and ourselves. We are constantly challenged with critical issues such as preempting emergencies and recognizing subtle and overt signs of patient instability. At the same time, we deal with patient flow issues such as “turnover time” and “unavailable postoperative beds” in critical care and clinical nursing units. We also deal with colorful personalities and interesting communication styles from professional colleagues.