Incidence of Arrhythmias in ASA I Patients in the Phase I PACU

Cardiac monitoring is routinely performed on all adult patients in the immediate postoperative period in the Phase I PACU, regardless of the surgery/procedure or type of anesthesia given. This practice is based on the premise that there may be a possibility of a postanesthesia arrhythmia or cardiac event that would need to be recognized and treated. The purpose of this study was to explore whether routine cardiac monitoring is a valid practice for healthy individuals (ASA I) or merely a tradition of postanesthesia nursing care.