Infection prevention in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) begins long before the patient arrives, and encompasses the entire environment. The four basic critical elements of infection and prevention are:
However, every aspect of planning the physical space, purchasing equipment, developing and implementing policy, and monitoring workflow are critical elements in the systematic effort to reduce infection risk. This section begins with the planning phases of PACU development and concludes with the infection risk reduction strategies that can be used during direct patient care. Each section describes the key considerations for each element from the viewpoint of infection risk reduction.