Postanesthesia Recovery Room Research Articles

Associations Between Oversedation and Agitation in Postanesthesia Recovery Room and Subsequent Severe Behavioral Emergencies.

Hospital-based behavioral emergency response teams (BERT) respond to acute behavioral disturbances among hospitalized patients. We aimed to examine associations between altered mental status in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and behavioral disturbances on surgical wards requiring BERT activation. Electronic medical records of patients who underwent general anesthesia and were admitted to the PACU between May 2018-December 2020 were reviewed for episodes of BERT activations on surgical wards. Characteristics of BERT patients were compared with the rest of surgical population during the same period to examine risk factors for BERT. Of 56,275 adult surgical patients, 133 patients had 178 BERT activations (incidence 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.0-2.8 per 1000 admissions), with 21 being for physical assault. The risk for BERT activation was increased with each decade over age of 50 as well as younger age (30 versus 50 y), male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 2.48, 95% CI 1.69, 3.62), longer procedures (OR = 1.08 per 30 minutes, 95% CI 1.05, 1.11), and alterations in mental status in PACU, with both moderate/deep sedation (OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.04, 2.57) and agitation/combative state (OR = 8.47, 95% CI 5.13, 14.01), P < 0.001 for all comparisons. Early postoperative agitation and oversedation are associated with BERT activation on surgical wards. Altered mental status in PACU should be conveyed to accepting hospital units so healthcare staff can be vigilant for the potential development of behavioral disturbances.

Anesthetic recovery outcomes after 2 methods of nasal mucosal preparation for endoscopic sinus surgery

PurposeOur institution uses two approaches for nasal mucosal preparation during endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) to improve surgical field visualization: topical epinephrine (TE) versus topical cocaine with injection of lidocaine containing epinephrine (TCLE). We aimed to compare anesthetic outcomes after ESS using these techniques. Methods and materialsWe retrospectively identified adult patients at our institution who underwent ESS from May 2018 through January 2023 under general anesthesia with propofol and remifentanil infusions. Postoperative anesthetic outcomes, including pain and recovery time, were compared between patients who had mucosal preparation with TE versus TCLE using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for potential confounders. ResultsAmong 1449 patients who underwent ESS, 585 had TE, and 864 had TCLE. Compared with TE, during anesthetic recovery, the TCLE group had fewer episodes of severe pain (numeric pain score ≥ 7) (IPTW-adjusted odds ratio, 0.65; 95 % CI, 0.49–0.85; P = .002), less opioid analgesic administration (IPTW-adjusted odds ratio, 0.55; 95 % CI, 0.44–0.69; P < .001), and shorter recovery room stay (IPTW-adjusted ratio of the geometric mean, 0.90; 95 % CI, 0.85–0.96; P = .002). Postoperative nausea and vomiting and postoperative sedation were similar between groups. ConclusionsPatients who received preparation of the nasal mucosa with TCLE, compared with TE, were less likely to report severe pain or receive an opioid analgesic in the postanesthesia recovery room and had faster anesthetic recovery. This observation from our large clinical practice indicates that use topical and local anesthetic during endoscopic sinus surgery may have benefit for ambulatory ESS patients.

Combination of dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants of transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia in gastric cancer patients: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial

Study objectiveWe conducted this double-blinded randomized controlled trial to examine whether the combination of dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block could improve analgesia efficacy and duration for gastric cancer patients. DesignRandomized controlled trial. SettingThe preoperative area, operating room, postanesthesia recovery room and bed ward. PatientsA total of 312 adult patients (104 per group) with gastric cancer were included. InterventionsPatients received bilateral subcostal TAP block with three different anesthetics (60 ml 0.25% ropivacaine added with 10 mg dexamethasone and 1 μg·kg-1 dexmedetomidine [A] or 10 mg dexamethasone [B] or 1 μg·kg-1 dexmedetomidine [C]). MeasurementsThe primary outcome was the incidence of moderate-to-severe pain 24 h on movement. Secondary outcomes included incidence of moderate-to-severe pain, pain score, opioids use, recovery quality and adverse events. Main resultsThe incidence of moderate-to-severe pain on movement 24 h postoperatively of group A was significantly lower than group B (45.19% vs 63.46%; RR 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.92) and group C (45.19% vs 73.08%, RR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.79). The median moving pain scores decreased significantly at 24 h (3.00 [3.00,5.00] vs 4.00 [3.00,6.00] vs 4.00 [3.00,5.00]; P < 0.001). There were significant differences in the opioids consumption within the first 24 h (27.5 [17.0,37.2] vs 30.0 [20.0,42.0] vs 32.0 [25.0,44.0] mg; P = 0.01) and the duration to first rescue analgesia (65.5 ± 26.7 vs 45.9 ± 34.5 vs 49.2 ± 27.2 h; P = 0.04). ConclusionsThe combination with dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants for TAP block reduced the incidence of moderate-to-severe pain and pain score both on movement and at rest at 24 h with prolonged duration to first rescue analgesia after gastric cancer surgery.Trial registration number: ChiCTR2000037981.

Demographic Profile and Incidence of Residual Neuromuscular Blockade with the Use of Rocuronium and Sugammadex in Oncological Patients in the Post-Anesthetic Recovery Room

Demographic Profile and Incidence of Residual Neuromuscular Blockade with the Use of Rocuronium and Sugammadex in Oncological Patients in the Post-Anesthetic Recovery Room

Utilization of deep neuromuscular blockade combined with reduced abdominal pressure in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer: An academic perspective.

Few studies have examined the specific efficacy of deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) combined with pneumoperitoneal pressure reduction in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy (LRG) in the elderly. To investigate the application effect of deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) combined with reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure in LRG for gastric cancer (GC) in elderly patients and its influence on inflammation. Totally 103 elderly patients with GC treated in our hospital between January 2020 and January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 45 patients treated with surgery based on deep NMB and conventional pneumoperitoneum pressure were assigned to the control group, while the rest of the 58 patients who underwent surgery based on deep NMB and reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure were assigned to the observation group. The two groups were compared in the changes of the Leiden-surgical rating scale score, serum tumor necrosis fact-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) before and after therapy. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was adopted for evaluating the shoulder pain of patients at 8 h, 24 h and 48 h after the operation. The driving pressure of the two groups at different time points was also compared. Additionally, the operation time, pneumoperitoneum time, infusion volume, blood loss, extubation time after surgery, residence time in the resuscitation room, TOF% = 90% time and post-anesthetic recovery room (PACU) stay time were all recorded, and adverse PACU-associated respiratory events were also recorded. The postoperative hospitalization time and postoperative expenses of the two groups were counted and compared. No significant difference was found between the two groups at the time of skin incision, 60 minutes since the operation and abdominal closure after surgery (P > 0.05). The observation group exhibited significantly lower VAS scores than the control group at 24 and 48h after surgery (P < 0.05). Additionally, the observation group had significantly lower driving pressure than the control group at 5 min and 60 min after the establishment of pneumoperitoneum (P < 0.05). Additionally, the two groups were similar in terms of the operation time, pneumoperitoneum time, infusion volume, blood loss, extubation time after surgery, residence time in the resuscitation room and TOF% = 90% time (P > 0.05), and the observation group showed significantly lower TNF-α and IL-6 Levels than the control group at 24 h after therapy (P < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence of adverse events was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05), and the observation group experienced significantly less hospitalization time and postoperative expenses than the control group (P < 0.05). Deep NMB combined with reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure can decrease the VAS score of shoulder pain and inflammatory reaction, without hindering the surgical vision and increasing adverse PACU-associated respiratory events, and can thus shorten the hospitalization time and treatment cost for patient.

Delirium in the postanesthesia recovery room—Early recognition enables swift action

Delirium in the postanesthesia recovery room—Early recognition enables swift action

Postoperative Pain of Pediatric Patients Undergoing Dental Treatment under General Anesthesia Visiting a General Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Dental general anesthesia (GA) is a day-stay procedure and is a suitable choice for complicated cases. It is undertaken in a controlled hospital setting that ensures the quality, safety, efficacy, and efficiency of dental treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence, severity, duration, and factors related to the occurrence of postoperative discomfort in young children following GA in a general hospital. This study includes a minimum sample size of 23 children that were undergoing GA over a 1-month period. Informed consent was obtained from the parent prior to the treatment. A preoperative questionnaire via the Survey Monkey program was used for the purposes of recording the responses of the survey population. All data related to the immediate postoperative period while the child was in the post-anesthetic recovery room (PAR) was collected and assessed by one of the investigators using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) pain assessment scale. Postoperative data was gathered using the Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ-8) and was performed by phone 3 days after the GA procedure. The participating 23 children ranged from 4 to 9 years old (mean 5.43 ± 1.53). A total of 65.2% were girls and 34.8% were boys, with 30.4% experiencing a recent history of pain.

PATIENT SAFETY IN THE SURGICAL CENTER

Patient safety in the SC ranges from: keeping the bed’s large bed elevated, infusing the heated serum, turning off the air conditioning in the post-anesthesia recovery room to the use of robotics in surgeries. We cannot forget the use of POPs (standard operating procedure) to standardize and avoid errors in the execution of activities. Technological and digital advances in surgeries have had a positive impact on the health of all of us. With the emergence of COVID-19, the Surgical Center invested a lot in its modernization, such as the use of digital medical records and digital anesthetic chart, with that less paper circulating and carrying infection from one sector to another.

Individualized ECT Succinylcholine Dosing in a Morbidly Obese Patient

Abstract Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a well-established, rapid, safe, and highly efficacious treatment modality. Anesthesia for ECT provides amnesia and paralysis most commonly with methohexital and succinylcholine (SUX) respectively. Guidelines commonly recommend 0.5-1 mg/kg of SUX based on total body weight (TBW). Studies which established these ranges did not take into consideration body weight and BMI. The lack of information on SUX dosing of morbidly obese patients during ECT could place these patients at a higher risk during this relatively safe procedure. Methods: We present the case of a 48-year-old woman diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder-bipolar type with a 20-year deteriorating, medication refractory course that responded briskly to an initial series of thrice weekly ECTs. Her medical history was significant for morbid obesity (BMI 43), obstructive sleep apnea, and smoking. In the first nine months of treatment the patient received 17 ECTs with severe hypoxic episodes occurred during 4 treatments. The medications given during these 4 ECTs included intravenous administration of methohexital or ketamine, followed by a SUX dose of 1 mg/kg TBW. Results: We suspected her hypoxic episodes were due to inadequate ventilation. She was given an intravenous injection of 90 mg methohexital followed by a SUX dose, correlating to 0.5 mg/kg TBW or 1 mg/kg ideal body weight (IBW) which was about half of what was used in the 4 ECTs complicated by hypoxia. The ECT treatment proceeded uneventfully. Conclusions: This lower dose SUX strategy warranted adoption for the subsequent 27 ECTs which were uneventful. The 4 ECTs with severe hypoxia (higher SUX) were associated with longer anesthesia time averaging 44 minutes. Compared to 9 randomly selected ECTs with the lower dose SUX strategy averaging 19 minutes. The shorter anesthesia time was also associated with quicker and smoother recovery in the post-anesthesia recovery room. Research Category and Technology and Methods Clinical Research: 2. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Keywords: ECT, Succinylcholine, Obese, Anesthesia

ENSEAL® Hemorrhoidectomy, a Novel Technique, Versus Conventional Open Method for the Management of Grade III and IV Hemorrhoids.

Background Surgical removal of hemorrhoids is the gold-standard treatment for symptomatic grade III and IV hemorrhoid disease.There are numerous ways the hemorrhoidectomy surgical procedure is done but the most effective and least painful way is still to be elucidated. Objective To compare the outcomes of ENSEAL® (Ethicon, Inc., Raritan, USA) versus gold standard Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy in patients presenting with grade-III and IV hemorrhoids Materials and methods After ethical approval, the Randomized Controlled Trial was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Unit III, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, between January 2020 and January 2022. In this study, 140 patients who met the inclusion criteria were recruited after informed consent. Patients were split randomly into two equal groups using a lottery technique. In group A, hemorrhoidectomy was carried out with ENSEAL®, whereas in group B, open hemorrhoidectomy was performed by the Milligan-Morgan method. the surgery duration and blood loss werenoted. After the operation, patients were transferred to and discharged from the post-anesthesiarecovery room. Patients were further followed up for pain scores after 24 hours. Data was analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). Data was categorized for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), degree of hemorrhoids, and duration of hemorrhoids. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results 140 patients were included in this study. Group A patients underwent ENSEAL® hemorrhoidectomy, and group B was formed from those who underwent the Milligan-Morgan procedure. In group A, there were 41 (58.5%) males and 29 (41.4%) females, while in group B, there were 43 (61.4%) males and 27 (38.5%) females. The mean age of group A patients was 49.97 ± 7.36 years and 43.2 ± 8.01 years in group B. In group A, the mean operative time was 20.87 ± 3.05 min, while 27.10 ± 3.42 minin group B, which is statistically significant with a p-value of <0.001. In group A, mean blood loss was 9.79 ± 2.87 ml, while 13.36 ± 3.73 ml in group B, which is statistically significant with a p-value of <0.001. In group A, the mean pain score was 2.7 ± 1.08, while 3.34 ± 1.16 in group B, which is statistically significant with a p-value of <0.001. Conclusion When considering the length of the procedure and blood loss, ENSEAL® hemorrhoidectomy has been determined to be an effective treatment that the patients tolerated well. Therefore, ENSEAL® hemorrhoidectomy can be a safe and efficient alternative to conventional treatment for hemorrhoids that are causing symptoms.

Comparison of Patient-Controlled Caudal Epidural Analgesia and Patient-Controlled Intravenous Analgesia After Perianal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

IntroductionThis study aimed to compare the efficacy between patient-controlled caudal epidural analgesia (PCCA) and patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after perianal surgery, to provide a feasible solution to postoperative pain.MethodsThis was a prospective, randomized controlled trial comprising 100 patients who underwent caudal epidural block on perianal surgery at Chengdu Shang Jin Nan Fu Hospital of West China Hospital at Sichuan University between April and August 2020. Patients were randomly divided into the PCCA and PCIA groups. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were recorded at 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery, and at the first dressing change and first defecation. The lower limb mobility in the post-anesthetic recovery room (PACU) was determined. The analgesic effect, usage amount of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), usage amount and frequency of remedial analgesic measures, number of individuals who must be catheterized, and incidence of adverse reactions were recorded. Satisfaction of postoperative analgesic effect and convenience of PCA were also assessed.ResultsThe patients in the PCCA group had significantly lower VAS scores at 4, 6, 24, 48, 72 h, the first dressing change, and the first defecation compared with the PCIA group. There were more patients receiving postoperative remedial analgesics in the PCIA group than in the PCCA group. The outcome of the number of PCA and catheterization rates did not differ significantly between the groups. There were two cases of sensory numbness below the S3 plane. The major postoperative complications in the PCIA group were pruritus (3/47, 6.4%), nausea, and vomiting (6/47, 12.8%) (one case combined with pruritus). Patients in the PCCA group were more satisfied with the analgesic effect, while those in the PCIA group were more satisfied with the convenience.ConclusionIn the postoperative analgesia program of perianal surgery, PCCA may provide a better analgesic effect without increasing the incidence of complications.Trial RegistrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier, ChiCTR2000038425, September 2020, retrospectively registered.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40122-022-00411-y.

Perianesthesia emergency repair of a cut endotracheal tube’s inflatable tube: A case report

BACKGROUNDDuring the perianesthesia period, emergency situations threatening the life and safety of patients can occur at any time. When dealing with some emergencies, occasional confusion is inevitable.CASE SUMMARYThis case report describes the rare situation wherein a surgeon inadvertently detached the inflatable tube of an endotracheal tube during a tonsillectomy, and positive pressure ventilation could not be provided. While reintubation may increase the risk of respiratory tract infection and aspiration, patients with a difficult airway might die due to apnea. The best treatment method is to optimize the damaged tracheal tube junction to avoid secondary intubation and ensure patient safety. An intravenous needle and cannula were used to repair the damaged gap in the current case. Following the repair, the anesthesia machine showed no indication of low tidal volume, and there was no deflation of the endotracheal tube cuff. Subsequently, the patient was transferred to the post-anesthesia recovery room, and the tracheal tube was removed with satisfactory results.CONCLUSIONUsing an intravenous needle to repair a break in the inflatable tube surrounding an endotracheal tube is safe and reliable.

Comparison between Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) and self-reported measures for diagnosing pain in conscious individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI), an objective measure of pain based on heart rate variability (HRV), has its usefulness in awake patients still unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess ANI's accuracy compared to self-reported pain measures in conscious individuals undergoing medical procedures or painful stimuli. PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and grey literature were searched until March 2021. Of the 832 identified citations, 16 studies complied with the eligibility criteria. A meta-analysis including nine studies demonstrated a weak negative correlation between ANI and NRS for pain assessment in individuals in the post-anesthetic recovery room (r = − 0.0984, 95% CI = − 0.397 to 0.220, I2 = 95.82%), or in those submitted to electrical stimulus (r = − 0.089; 95% CI = − 0.390 to 0.228, I2 = 0%). The evidence to use ANI in conscious individuals is weak compared to self-report measures of pain, yet ANI explains a part of self-report. Therefore, some individuals may be benefited from the use of ANI during procedures or in the immediate postoperative period.

A Prospective Study of Post anaesthesia Recovery Room Complications: Incidence and Treatment

Objectives: To audit the incidence and nature of post-anesthesia recovery room complications, their treatment and review the role of recovery room in modern anesthetic practice. Methods: 3151 patients who received general or regional anaesthesia were admitted to the recovery room during six months period (August 01, 1995 to January 31, 1996). Information noted on forms by recovery nurse by encircling the pre coded complication. Result: Out of 3151 patients, 2716 patient's data forms could be collected. Therefore results reflect 86% of the patients passing through the recovery. The overall incidence of complications in our population was 36.26%.Complications referable to CNS were 52.29%, the commonest of which was pain[51.26%], agitation (0.18%) and excessive drowsiness (1.01%).The second commonest system was GIT(25.07%) nausea (14.31%) and vomiting (12.18%). The third system was CVS (21.52%), bradycardia (5.48%), tachycardia (7.61%), hypertension (4.26%), hypotension (2.53%) ,myocardial ischaemia (0.81%) myocardia infarction (0.10%) and new arrhythmias (1.41%).The fourth system was Respiratory system (5.58%), hypoventilation (1.42%), bronchospasm (0.81%), and Desaturation (Sp02 &lt; 90%) in (0.1%).0.6% patients had to be re-intubated. Two patients had oliguria. Miscellaneous complications were (9.94%). More than one complication was observed in some patients. The incidence of mortality in our study during this period was 0.10%. Conclusion: Every third patient is susceptible to get some form of complications in the immediate post-anesthesia recovery period. It reflects the importance and need of a specialized designated area called recovery room with qualified staff.

Development of a recovery-room discharge checklist (SAMPE checklist) for safe handover and its comparison with Aldrete and White scoring systems

BackgroundThe postoperative care transition from the postanesthetic recovery room (PACU) to the common ward or even home discharge represents a critical step of the surgical patients’ handover. Although some systems have been proposed to measure the ability to discharge after an anesthetic-surgical procedure effectively, there is no consensus defining which variables should necessarily be evaluated by these instruments. The instruments routinely used do not evaluate important domains for discharge and are laborious to fill, which compromises the professionals’ adhesion. The objectives are to describe the creation of a new recovery room discharge tool (SAMPE checklist) and determine the degree of agreement of the new tool with two classical scales. MethodsIn a cross-sectional observational study, 997 patients were selected from the general population undergoing a wide range of surgical procedures in a quaternary care hospital. At 90 minutes after leaving the operating room (OR), patients were evaluated and information was collected to fill out the new SAMPE checklist and two other scores (Aldrete and White) to examine the degree of agreement between them. ResultsSAMPE checklist has presented a satisfactory agreement with the White score and lower agreement with Aldrete modified score. ConclusionThis new instrument, as demonstrated in this study with nearly 1000 patients from different contexts, is easy to apply, has high adhesion potential, and can be considered a new option to formalize the discharge from the recovery room.

Percepção do paciente no período perioperatório em relação à assistência prestada no centro cirúrgico

Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo identificar a percepção do paciente em relação à assistência prestada no Centro Cirúrgico e Sala de Recuperação Pós Anestésica. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa, realizado com 59 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia no Centro Cirúrgico de um hospital Universitário localizado no Sul do Brasil. A coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de entrevista baseada em um instrumento semiestruturado. A análise de dados foi realizada a partir de análise de conteúdo, do tipo temático. Evidenciou-se que o estudo permitiu compreender a percepção do paciente em relação ao atendimento no centro cirúrgico, considerando que a partir de como o paciente se sente em sua experiência cirúrgica, será suas percepções futuras. Nesse sentido, os resultados apresentados neste estudo demonstram a importância de prestar uma assistência de qualidade. Espera-se que esse estudo venha contribuir para o desenvolvimento de um atendimento mais seguro e humanizado, focado nas necessidades de cada paciente.

Satisfação profissional de enfermeiros que atuam no bloco cirúrgico de um hospital de excelência

Objetivos: Analisar e comparar o índice de satisfação profissional (ISP) de enfermeiros do bloco cirúrgico (BC). Método: Estudo de campo, comparativo e quantitativo que utilizou o ISP na avaliação da autonomia, interação, remuneração, normas organizacionais, status profissional e requisitos do trabalho de enfermeiros atuantes do BC de um hospital privado de São Paulo. Resultados: Dos 49 enfermeiros da amostra, 39 atuavam em centro cirúrgico (CC) e sala de recuperação pós-anestésica (SRPA) e 10 no centro de material e esterilização (CME). A interação foi o componente de maior importância, e o status profissional, o de menor, no entanto status profissional obteve o maior nível de satisfação, e requisitos do trabalho, o menor. O ISP foi 11,04 (baixo nível), considerando possível variação entre 0,9 e 37,1. Houve diferença significante para interação, com maior satisfação dos enfermeiros do CC/SRPA em comparação com os do CME. Conclusão: A satisfação profissional de enfermeiros do BC avaliada pelo ISP foi baixa. Conhecer os fatores que influenciam nesse índice é importante, pois a satisfação interfere diretamente na qualidade da assistência, previne doenças ocupacionais, além de ser indicador de resultados no processo de trabalho.

Carga de trabalho de enfermagem em sala de recuperação pós-anestésica: um estudo misto

Objetivo: analisar a carga de trabalho de enfermagem em Sala de Recuperação Pós-Anestésica de um Hospital Universitário do Sul do Brasil. Método: abordagem metodológica mista, explanatório sequencial. Na etapa quantitativa, transversal, foi avaliada a carga de trabalho pelo Nursing Activities Score, em 209 pacientes. Na etapa qualitativa, foram realizadas entrevistas com 14 participantes. A análise dos dados quantitativos foi realizada no SPSS Statistics 21.0. Os dados qualitativos passaram por análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Resultados: a carga de trabalho verificada foi de 57%. Duas categorias surgiram: Características dos pacientes e situações determinantes para a carga de trabalho - as condições clínicas dos pacientes são apontadas como intensificadoras da carga de trabalho; e Organização do trabalho: características que influenciam na carga de trabalho – dimensionamento de pessoal e cooperação entre a equipe são fatores determinantes. Conclusão: a carga de trabalho é alta e os trabalhadores percebem características que a influenciam.

Ultra-early postoperative feeding and its impact on reducing endovenous fluids.

To investigate the use of "ultra-early" postoperative feeding (oral liquid diet offered in the post-anesthetic recovery room) in patients undergoing common general surgical procedures and to assess the volume of intravenous fluids, as well as the rate of complications and the length of hospital stay. Prospective, observational study, which assessed the compliance with the "ultra-early" feeding, the reduction of preoperative fasting time, the perioperative venous hydration volume, the length of stay and the operative morbidity. 154 patients with a mean age of 46 ± 15 years were followed. "Ultra-early" feeding was performed in 144 cases (93.5%). Patients who did not receive the "ultra-early" feeding received a significantly greater volume of postoperative intravenous fluids (500mL versus 200mL, p = 0.018). The length of stay was 2.4 ± 2.79 days (conventional feeding) versus 1.45 ± 1.83 days ("ultra-early" feeding), with no statistical difference (p = 0.133). There was no difference in the percentage of general complications (p = 0.291), vomiting (p = 0.696) or surgical infection (p = 0.534). "Ultra-early" feeding had a high adherence by patients undergoing common general surgical procedures, and it was related to decreased infusion of postoperative fluids. Complication rates and the length of stay were similar between groups.

Segurança do paciente no contexto da recuperação pós-anestésica: um estudo convergente assistencial

Objetivo: Verificar o conhecimento dos profissionais de enfermagem no que concerne à segurança do paciente na Sala de Recuperação Pós-Anestésica (SRPA), após a implantação de um protocolo assistencial no referido setor. Método: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, exploratório, com abordagem qualitativa, do tipo convergente assistencial, envolvendo sete profissionais da equipe de enfermagem, atuantes na SRPA de um hospital do oeste catarinense. Resultados: Com base nos achados, surgiram duas categorias: “Segurança do paciente na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica” e “Protocolos Assistenciais” (PA), que proporcionaram efetividade de tais protocolos na sistematização do processo de cuidar, considerando, tanto a segurança do paciente, quanto a do profissional. Conclusão: A aplicação do protocolo, por meio de checklist, além de nortear as ações da equipe, possibilitou que estas ocorressem de forma sistemática e rápida, levando-se em conta a complexidade do atendimento na SRPA.