[Analysis and comparison of the guidelines regarding recovery-room management].
The purpose of this study was to analyse and compare the guidelines regarding Recovery-Room (RR) management at international level, pointing out the main differences and common aspects. The guidelines on the RR management in various countries have been compared in particular the Italian, French, German, Australian, Canadian and American guidelines. In addition, the management of postoperative patients in some of these countries where guidelines on the subject have not yet been published have been analysed. In some countries, France for instance, the guidelines have been published as a ministerial decree (Décret n degrees 94-1050 du Décembre 1994) and are therefore a law with proper articles, in others (Italy for instance), they are mere recommendations, which do not have immediate effect and are regarded as a target to be achieved. SIAARTI considers that this is due to the dishomogeneity of the Italian hospital situation as far as medical and nursing staff as well as buildings and applied technology are concerned. The comparison between guidelines of different countries has shown that RR is a reality which has now existed for many years at international level and it has demonstrated that all guidelines agree on the fact that postoperative patients must be observed in a protected and safe environment. The following rules are common to all guidelines: the anaesthetist is responsible for the RR and for discharging the patient; there must be a clinical record and a written report which are considered to be essential (not in Italy); RR must be next to the surgical rooms; the patient must be escorted to RR by the anesthetist; monitoring must be guaranteed during transfer; monitoring continuity in RR (at regular and a appropriate intervals) is essential. The following rules are not common to all guidelines: numbers of beds in RR; the proportion between the number of nurses and the number of patients; regulation for day-surgery; specific regulations for obstetrical patients. Guidelines are subject, as any regulation, to continuous revision, and this is a very important requirement which helps keeping them always update and in line with scientific research.
Leykin
Y
Y
II Servizio di Anestesia e Rianimazione, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli Angeli, Pordenone, Italy.
Costa
N
N
Gullo
A
A
D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011997:Recovery Room / Q000458:organization & administration*
Analisi e confronto delle linee guida riguardanti la gestione della recovery-room.