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Preoperative Management and Nursing Care Using The Nursing Process

12. Discharge Criteria

  • Post anesthetic discharge scoring (PADS) system is a simple cumulative index that measures the patient's home readiness.
  • Five major criteria: (1) vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature; (2) ambulation and mental status; (3) pain and PONV; (4) surgical bleeding; and (5) fluid intake/output.
  • Patients who achieve a score of 9 or greater and have an adult escort are considered fit for discharge (or home ready).