As charge nurse, you are making assignments for the day shift. Which patient would you assign to the nurse who was floated from the PACU?

As charge nurse, you are making assignments for the day shift. Which patient would you assign to the nurse who was floated from the PACU?

• A. 62-year-old with osteomalacia being discharged to a long-term care facility
• B. 72-year-old with Paget disease who has just returned from surgery for total knee replacement
• C. 35-year-old with osteomyelitis who needs teaching before hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• D. 68-year-old with osteoporosis given a new orthotic device whose knowledge must be assessed

Answer: (B)

The key idea is matching the nurse’s specialized capabilities with the patient’s current needs, prioritizing immediate post-anesthesia care for a nurse who just floated from the PACU. A nurse with PACU experience is adept at supporting airway, breathing, circulation, and neuro status right after surgery, managing pain, and spotting early post-op complications. The patient who has just returned from a total knee replacement is in the immediate postoperative period and requires close, continuous monitoring and rapid intervention if issues arise, which is exactly what a PACU-trained nurse is prepared to provide. The other scenarios involve patients who are more stable or need teaching rather than urgent post-op monitoring. A discharge-ready patient is stable and ready for routine follow-up or transfer planning. The patients needing teaching about hyperbaric oxygen therapy or about a new orthotic device require education and time, tasks better suited to floor nurses who focus on patient education and longer-term care planning.

The key idea is matching the nurse’s specialized capabilities with the patient’s current needs, prioritizing immediate post-anesthesia care for a nurse who just floated from the PACU. A nurse with PACU experience is adept at supporting airway, breathing, circulation, and neuro status right after surgery, managing pain, and spotting early post-op complications. The patient who has just returned from a total knee replacement is in the immediate postoperative period and requires close, continuous monitoring and rapid intervention if issues arise, which is exactly what a PACU-trained nurse is prepared to provide.

The other scenarios involve patients who are more stable or need teaching rather than urgent post-op monitoring. A discharge-ready patient is stable and ready for routine follow-up or transfer planning. The patients needing teaching about hyperbaric oxygen therapy or about a new orthotic device require education and time, tasks better suited to floor nurses who focus on patient education and longer-term care planning.