Developments in surgery have enabled more ambitious operations to be attempted than ever before, while similar advances in anaesthesia and monitoring have meant that many patients who were previously considered unfit now undergo surgery. It is essential that standards of patient care during surgery are continued post-operatively until the depressant effects of anaesthesia have worn off and it is safe for patients to return to the wards or to their homes. The importance of adequate supervision by well-trained nurs ing staff in properly equipped surroundings has been recognised by the...