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Post Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

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Location

Level 2, Tallaght Hospital

Go through the main hospital entrance to the lifts in the main foyer. Take the lift to Level 2, walk to theatre and then ring on the phone in the waiting area as you cannot enter PACU unescorted, a member of staff will come and get you. 
Phone 01 414 4025
Visiting Hours Visiting Hours are strictly between 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm visiting to PACU is kept to a minimum.

Description of PACU 

A post Anaesthesia Unit, abbreviated to PACU, is an area attached to the Operating Theatre, and is used for patients with a higher dependency of care post operatively, and is also used as a critical care area.

The staff in this department are highly trained and are charged with vital tasks for the care of the post operative or the critical care patient. These essential activities include:

  • Airway management
  • Monitoring Vital Signs
  • Managing post operative pain
  • Treating post operative nausea and vomiting
  • Monitoring surgical sites for bleeding swelling haematoma, wound healing, redness etc.

PACU may need to be used when a serious life threatening event has occurred to a patient coming through the ED. This could range from a cardiac arrest, Road traffic Accident, to an accidental ingestion. In the event that there are no high dependency beds available a PACU Bed may be used.

Patients who have come from a ward bed for a surgical procedure or due to deteriorating condition on the ward will have their ward bed kept. Patients who have come to the unit from the ED department will not have a ward bed allocated until they are fit for transfer.

Requirements in the department are minimal. Hospital gowns are worn and relatives should take valuable possessions home.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Services are available for patients. Nursing Staff will arrange for a member of the Pastoral Care Team to visit a patient if required

Visiting Guidelines

Visitors are regarded as an important part of the patient's day and are very welcome at Tallaght Hospital. Please note Patient safety is our number one priority. We have strict policies on infection prevention and control which apply to everyone: staff, patients and visitors. We would ask all visitors observe the following: 

  • Only two visitors permitted to visit at any one time
  • The Hospital is a no smoking hospital this includes the use of electronic smoking devices
  • To avoid bringing infection into the ward, visitors are asked not to visit if they're suffering from colds, flu or infections
  • Use visitor toilets rather than patient toilets this reduces the risk of cross-infection
  • Please dispose of any litter properly, help us to keep our communal areas and entrances clean. This includes lifts and stairwells
  • Never bring alcohol or drugs to patients