Equipment

An automated blood pressure device, pulse oximetry, electrocardiographic monitoring, and intravenous supports should be located by each bed. An area for charting

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A supply of immediately available emergency equipment should also be located in the PACU and should include an airway cart consisting of oral and nasal airways; orotracheal, nasotracheal, and tracheostomy tubes; laryngoscopes; bronchoscopes; and hand ventilating devices. Self-inflating bags with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) valves are also useful. A defibrillator capable of synchronized defibrillation should be available, as well as an electrocardiograph, pacemaker, and pacing wires.

A "crash cart" containing cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment and emergency drugs should be available and fully stocked at all times. Chest tube trays, cut-down trays, and tracheostomy trays are necessary.

Automated patient tracking systems that use computers to provide real-time information on the location and status of surgical patients in the operating room suite may become more prevalent. These systems provide video displays of real-time surgical case information. The information is maintained by the use of bar code scanners, magnetic readers, or common keyboard-based input terminals.

Automated patient tracking systems can provide the PACU with information regarding room utilization, delays and cancellations, in-transit times, and expected arrival at the recovery room. This information may facilitate staffing. It is not known how these operating room management information systems affect PACU efficiency. Computer-assisted charting of patient vital signs, notes, and laboratory data is becoming more common. Again, their impact on PACU efficiency is unknown.