Also part of the UPMC family:
On this page:
Immediately after surgery at UPMC Shadyside, we will admit you to the PACU where our specially trained nurses will care for and observe you.
When you wake up in the PACU, you:
Additional steps for monitoring your progress in the PACU include a:
You may feel the following up to 24 hours after surgery:
If you experience shivering, we will remedy your discomfort by:
As you recover from anesthesia, nausea and vomiting may occur.
| If you... | Then... |
|---|---|
| have a history of motion sickness or nausea and vomiting following anesthesia, | inform the anesthesiologist prior to surgery. |
| experience nausea or vomiting in the PACU, | your nurse will administer medication through your IV line to alleviate your discomfort. |
You should anticipate feeling some pain when you wake up. Pain is a common occurrence after surgery; it's unrealistic to expect to be pain free.
Our goal in PACU is pain control.
It's important that you describe exactly how much pain you're feeling on a scale of zero to 10. Based on your level of pain, we will give you pain medication to make you feel more comfortable.
If you are awake and comfortable, we have radios, iPads, and laptops you can use for:
You can also use an iPad to video conference with a family member or loved one waiting in the Surgical Family Lounge.
Let your nurse know if you would like to use an iPad or other equipment while you’re in the PACU.
The average stay in the PACU is one to three hours.
Your length of stay in the PACU will depend on several factors including:
If you need medicine to help control heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, or other disorders (e.g. diabetes), your stay may be longer to meet necessary discharge criteria.
Once you meet all of the above criteria, the anesthesiologist will discharge you to an inpatient room or to the Day of Surgery Unit (if you are going home).
If you're staying at the hospital, you will be assigned a room as soon as one is available. A room may not always be available when you are ready to leave the PACU.
Factors that determine room assignment timeliness include:
The nurse will keep you and your family updated.
Please note: private rooms may be requested but are not guaranteed.
Your health information, right at your fingertips. Select MyUPMC to access your UPMC health information. For patients of UPMC-affiliated doctors in Central Pa, select UPMC Central Pa Portal. Patients of UPMC Cole should select the UPMC Cole Connect Patient Portal.
The portal for all UPMC patients EXCEPT those in Central Pa.
The portal for UPMC patients in Central Pa.
The portal for UPMC Cole patients.