With improved technology and shorter procedure times, patients are being discharged from the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at earlier in the recovery process. The effects of anesthesia and unclear communication from the healthcare provider can confuse the discharge process. Patients are at risk for poor health outcomes and decreased satisfaction related to their inability to understand discharge instructions after surgical procedures. The goal of the proposed project in this paper was to improve patient care by implementing a standardized discharge checklist in the PACU, improve communication between the nurse and the patient, and ensure all nurses are filling out the discharge checklist.
