Core Curriculum for Perianesthesia Nursing Practice

Part 1 The profession of perianaesthesia care nursing: evolution of perianaesthesia care; nursing practice, nursing standards, and nursing process; nursing research; legal issues in perianaesthesia care nursing; PACU management; teaching and learning needs of the surgical patient. Part 2 Life span considerations in PACU practice: the elderly patient; the paediatric patient. Part 3 The conceptual basis for PACU practice: anaesthetic agents and adjuncts; conscious sedation; perianaesthesia respiratory care; interpretation of acid-base balance; fluid and electrolyte balance; the haematologic system; perianaesthesia complications - respiratory, cardiac and neurologic; basic and advanced cardiac life support. Part 4 Systems review: malignant hyperthermia; the cardiac surgical patient; the peripheral vascular surgical patient; the pulmonary surgical patient; the neurosurgical patient; the urologic surgical patient; the urologic surgical patient; the gastrointestinal surgical patient; the gynaecologic surgical patient; the obstetric surgical patient; the orthopaedic surgical patient; the endocrine surgical patient; the otorhinolarygologic and head and neck surgical patient; the ophthalmic surgical patient; the plastic surgery and burn patient. Part 5 Special topics: the surgical patient in the ambulatory or short-stay setting; pain assessment and management; haemodynamic monitoring; test-taking techniques.