The Anesthetic Care Unit (ACU) provides pre-operative preparation and post-operative care for up to 50 patients per day, Monday to Friday, with on-call coverage overnight for children needing emergency care. This fast-paced, challenging unit is staffed by highly skilled nurses who take a family-centred approach to providing care throughout all phases of the patient journey.
ACU nurses care for patients in the pre-assessment phase, pre-operatively on the day of surgery, and through all phases of post-anesthetic care, until the child is either sent home or transferred to the inpatient unit. These nurses are uniquely trained to assess patients as they emerge from anesthesia. Patients range in age from neonates to adolescents who require anesthesia for procedures. While most patients are treated and go home the same day, the unit also cares for admit-day-of-surgery patients.
BC Children’s Hospital is committed to supporting ongoing learning through dedicated education days, interdisciplinary education including simulation, and a variety of workshop and conference opportunities.
Our shifts are 8 hours long, with an array of start times including 0630, 0700, 0730, 0800, 0830, 0900, 0930, 1000, 1100, 1200, and 1500 with some of those shifts having on-call attached. We don’t have a typical rotation of day/evenings or day/nights.
ACU nurses come to the department with a year of Pediatric experience or Adult PACU. Upon hire there is a thorough onboarding and orientation process, and, in the future, there will be a BCIT pediatric PACU critical care course.
There are many opportunities for professional growth and development in the ACU. From online learning, to in person education sessions there are many ways to keep advancing your critical care, patient centered care and cultural safety skills and knowledge. Educational opportunities are available through BC Children’s Hospital and the larger Provincial Health Services Authority. All staff are encouraged and supported to enroll in ongoing courses, as workload permits. Additionally, e-learning modules are accessible through the hospital intranet for quick educational reviews.
