Introduction As a nursing student, my work has been very engaging. In my career, I have recognized that I play an important role in providing intensive care to patients recovering from surgery. I have managed to help a couple of patients regain consciousness and I am also responsible for managing their condition until discharge. My responsibilities in the post-anesthesia unit included the following: My roles in the post-anesthesia unit My first role was to monitor patients who were out of the operating room. I would do this by making sure to continually assess the patient until they wake up. Upon awakening, I would help the patient understand their environment by regaining consciousness. Normally I would look after a few patients at a time to ensure that each patient receives maximum attention. The main parameters I used to monitor include pulse and heart rate. My second role on the unit was to respond to various complications that arose following cholecystectomy surgery. If the patient was scared, I would talk to him in a good, reassuring voice to calm him down. In some cases, patients had difficulty breathing due to lying in the same position for a long time during the surgery. In these cases I would make sure to help the patient to sit up, breathe deeply and cough so as to prevent some diseases such as pneumonia. In dire circumstances, I was forced to insert a breathing line or breathing tube to help the patient breathe. My third role on the unit was to provide family members with instructions on how anesthesia works and what they should expect from the surgery. I also played an important role in explaining the potential side effects or complications of the anesthesia used, such as... middle of paper... ves. I was able to appreciate in a practical way what I learned in class. By participating in the unit's activities, I learned how critical thinking is an important tool in the medical field and how effective use of this tool can help provide quality care to various patients in the post-anesthesia unit. However, I have realized that I need to develop more skills in patient and family awareness of the issue of anesthesia and its side effects, preoperative considerations, and vital signs that indicate patient stability or instability. Works Cited Gulanick, M., & Myers , J. L. (2011). Nursing care plans: diagnosis, interventions and results. St. Louis: Elsevier Mosby.Keat, S., Lanham, S., & Bate, S. (2012). Anesthesia on the move. London: Hodder Education.Zadock, F. (2010). Fundamentals of nursing. Sydney: Livorno publishers.