Inspiratory Force as a Criterion for Extubation and Discharge from Recovery Room

Abstract

Anesthetists commonly delegate the task of extubating and discharging patients from the recovery room to the nurses in that area. The nurses in the recovery room are therefore faced with the responsibility of assessing patients' level of consciousness, vital signs, respiratory function, and cardiac and circulatory status. In particular, respiration is usually monitored by counting the number of respirations per minute and noting the force and quality of the movements. As long as the patient continues to breathe on his own, and his color and sensorium remain stable, it is presumed that his respiratory function is adequate and he is subsequently discharged on this assumption. This paper presents a simple and reliable method to judge whether the respiratory effort of the patient is adequate to warrant discharge from the recovery room and transfer to a floor where less extensive monitoring is available.