Quality and safety guidelines of postanaesthesia care
Working Party on Post Anaesthesia Care (approved by the
European Board and Section of Anaesthesiology,
Union Europe´ enne des Me´ decins Spe´ cialistes)
Laszlo Vimlatia, Fernando Gilsanzb and Zeev Goldikc
Postanaesthesia care units are standard parts of hospital
care in most European Union countries. Their main purpose
is to identify and immediately treat early complications of
surgery or anaesthesia, before they develop into
deleterious problems. This review, prepared by the Working
Party on Post Anaesthesia Care of the European Board of
Anaesthesiology.M European Union of Medical Specialists
(Union Europe´ enne des Me´ decins Spe´ cialistes) and
approved by the European Board and Section of
Anaesthesiology, gives recommendations on relevant
aspects of organization, responsibilities, methods, safety
and quality control of postanaesthesia care. Eur J
Anaesthesiol 26:715–721 Q 2009 European Society of
Anaesthesiology.
European Journal of Anaesthesiology 2009, 26:715–721
Keywords: audit, postanaesthesia care unit, recovery, safety and quality,
standards of care
!The areas of expertise of anaesthesiology are perioperative anaesthesia care,
emergency medicine, intensive care medicine, pain medicine and reanimation;
EBA Honorary President, Jannicke Mellin-Olsen, Norway; Vice President, Seppo