PACU Nurse

Short Description

The PACU (recovery) nurse cares for you as you wake up from anesthesia. They manage pain and nausea, watch your breathing, blood pressure, and urine, and get you stable and comfortable for transfer to the floor.

Main Priorities

• Monitor airway, breathing, oxygen, heart rhythm, and blood pressure as anesthesia wears off.
• Control pain and nausea; adjust meds quickly so you can breathe deeply and keep medicines down.
• Check incision, dressings, and lines/devices (Foley catheter, IVs, arterial line if present, JP drain, wound vac).
• Track urine output from the Foley and report changes to the team.
• Warmth and comfort measures (blankets, positioning), safety checks, and fall prevention.
• Start early breathing exercises (incentive spirometer) and help with the first short sit-up or dangle at bedside when safe.
• Coordinate updates with your family and prepare you for transfer to the surgical/transplant unit.

Issues They Work With

• Pain not controlled or pain that spikes with movement or coughing.
• Nausea/vomiting that makes it hard to take meds—rapid anti-nausea treatment.
• Breathing concerns: low oxygen, shallow breaths; reminders and support with the spirometer.
• Blood pressure shifts: high or low readings managed with the anesthesia/surgery team.
• Low urine output or Foley issues: kinks, positioning, or need for team evaluation.
• Shivering/cold after anesthesia—warming blankets and monitoring.
• Confusion or agitation on wake-up (short-lived “emergence” effects), treated and re-oriented calmly.

When to Go to Them

• While you are in PACU (the recovery room) after surgery—use the call button or speak up for pain, nausea, breathing help, or if something feels wrong.
• Before transfer, ask about your pain plan, nausea plan, Foley/urine goals, breathing exercises, and how to call for help on the floor.
• After you leave PACU, your inpatient/transplant unit nurse becomes your first contact; they will loop in PACU/anesthesia if needed.

What They Don’t Handle (Boundaries)

• They don’t set long-term medication doses—your transplant providers do that.
• They don’t manage insurance, forms, or discharge paperwork—unit staff/coordinators handle those.
• They don’t follow you after transfer—once you’re on the floor, page the unit nurse for anything you need.

Informational only; roles and policies vary by hospital. Follow your surgical team’s instructions.