The PACU, or Post Anesthesia Care Unit, is a critical care unit in a hospital where patients are taken after surgery and anesthesia. The PACU is a secure department where the patients vital signs are closely observed, pain management begins, and fluids are given. The nursing staff is skilled in recognizing and managing problems in patients after receiving anesthesia. The PACU is under the direction of the Department of Anesthesiology. The length of stay in the PACU depends on factors such as the type of surgery, the patients response to surgery and anesthesia, and medical history. Every patients length of stay in the PACU is different, but on average it is usually one to three hours. The type of anesthesia received will determine the length of stay and the overall postoperative course. The PACU nurse will observe the patient until they return close to their status before surgery. The PACU nurse will check the patients vital signs often, look at their dressings (bandages), regulate their intravenous fluids, and give them pain medication as needed. The nurses in the PACU are skilled in the care of post-surgical patients and need to be expert communicators and collaborators. They work alongside the physician, other nurses, and medical staff, keeping them informed of any changing circumstances during the patients recovery.