There are a number of factors that prolong patients’ stay in the recovery room (RR), which are related to system or clinical issues. However, less has been discovered from the RR nurses about reasons for prolonged patient stay and recommendations to solve this issue. Prolonged patient stay of more than 2 hours in the RR interferes with the primary role of the RR nurse, which is to provide care to immediate postanaesthesia patients. Consequently, this could affect the operating room schedule, normal flow of patients to the RR and discharge to the nursing units.
