Awareness Under Anesthesia

Awareness under anesthesia, also known as unintentional intraoperative awareness, occurs when a patient unintentionally becomes aware while under general anesthesia. Although unintentional intraoperative awareness occurs rarely, patients who experience this may develop anxiety disorders of varying severity, including posttraumatic stress disorder. Perianesthesia nurses can play an important role in the prevention and management of unintentional intraoperative awareness in patients.