Adult Agitation in the Postanesthesia Care Unit After General Anesthesia

I have worked in health care for over two decades. The majority of these two decades have been in the surgical arena, as a registered nurse (RN) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and then as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in the operating room. As an RN in the PACU, I was told from the first day of my orientation to always be on guard with my patients. I will never forget the exact words my preceptor told me, “Patients in the PACU are not always themselves and, after anesthesia, can become agitated and aggressive.” This was my first step into the harsh reality that, as a PACU nurse, I would always have to be on high alert regarding my physical health.