What it means
A recovery area next to the operating rooms, sometimes called the recovery room. Specially trained nurses watch the client's airway, breathing, circulation, consciousness, pain, nausea and surgical site until the effects of anesthesiaan-us-THEE-zhuhLoss of feeling or sensation, often brought on by drugs so that surgery or a procedure can be done without pain.an- withoutesthesi/o feeling, sensation-ia conditionFull entry wear off enough for the client to go to a hospital unit or home. Scoring tools are used to decide when a client is ready to leave.
For the nurse
The airway comes first after anesthesia: keep it open, give oxygen as ordered and watch breathing and oxygen saturation closely. Check vital signs often, usually every 15 minutes at first.
At a glance
| Spanish | unidad de cuidados postanestésicos (URPA) |
|---|---|
| Also written | post-anesthesia care unit, postanesthesia care unit |
Related terms
postoperative
Describing the time after surgery, from the end of the operation until recovery.
anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation, often brought on by drugs so that surgery or a procedure can be done without pain.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.
surgery
Treatment in which a surgeon operates on the body, usually by cutting into it, to repair, remove or examine tissue.