title: A didactic and experiential approach to nursing education.
abstract: Postanesthesia care unit PACU nursing practice requires in-depth understanding of sedation, analgesia, and anesthetic agents and techniques; physiological and psychological responses to anesthesia; and the vulnerability of patients subjected to anesthesia. This article reviews a pilot program designed to broaden the knowledge base of PACU RNs. Twenty-three RNs completed a self-paced module on anesthetic agents before participating in an anesthesia and surgical observation phase. The nurses then completed evaluations. Results of the evaluations indicated that this approach to learning was rewarding for the participants.
authors.affiliation: Medical imaging and PACU departments, St Luke's Regional Medical Center, Boise, Idaho, USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosentreter
authors.forename: Mary Lynn
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Talboy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000758:Anesthesia; D000777:Anesthetics; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007061:Idaho; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D019370:Observation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016528:Postanesthesia Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics