Patients “Experiences About Preoperative Fasting and Nurses” Knowledge and Practice

Aim: This study was carried out to evaluate nurses “knowledge and practice and patients” experiences about preoperative fasting.

Method: This study sample composed of all nurses that work in surgical units and surgical patients that stay in 2 general surgical units in State Hospital in Istanbul. Data were obtained by face to face interview. Forms that developed by the researcher were used for interview with patients and nurses. Patients’ discomforts were measured with numeric scale (from zero to 10). Form that used for interview with nurses include, identifi er characteristics, knowledge and practice of nurses about preoperative fasting.

Results: In the hospital that this research carried out, practice for preoperative fasting was the patient should be nil per os after midnight on the day of surgery. It was determined that the nurses participating in research are not aware of current scientifi c datas related to preoperative fasting. The suffi cient information about preoperative fasting is not given to patients. Average fasting time of patients is 11.12±2,35 hours. In the period before preoperative, anxiety scores of patients were found to be higher (p<.05). Percentage, frequency, t-test, chi-square test and correlation were used on the evaluation of the data.

Conclusion: Preoperative fasting periods can take up to 24 hours. İn Turkey, extensive experimental studies related with the subject should conduct and the current practices should be implemented.