Actual versus instructed fasting times and associated discomforts in women having scheduled cesarean birth.
OBJECTIVE
To measure actual and instructed preoperative fasting durations in women undergoing scheduled cesarean birth, to compare these times with national guidelines for healthy patients undergoing elective procedures, and to describe discomforts associated with preoperative fasting.


METHODS
One group, nonexperimental, comparative, descriptive.


METHODS
Nonprofit private medical center in Texas with 6,000 births/year.


METHODS
Convenience sample of 51 hospitalized postpartum women.


METHODS
Participants were interviewed an average of 44 hours after their cesarean birth, and their medical records were reviewed for fasting information.


METHODS
Duration of actual and instructed fasting, comparison with national guidelines, and ratings of thirst and hunger.


RESULTS
The participants fasted from liquids and solids an average of 11 and 13 hours, respectively. Both actual and instructed fasting durations were significantly longer than national guidelines. Most participants (70%) were instructed to be nulla per os after midnight whether they were to have a.m. or p.m. surgery. Thirst and hunger scores averaged 5 and 4, respectively, on a 0-10 scale.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients having scheduled cesarean birth fast for unnecessarily long periods. Nurses should be knowledgeable about evidence-based preoperative fasting practices and collaborate with physicians to implement them.
Crenshaw
Jeannette T
JT
Texas Health Resources, The Center for Learning Dallas, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Dallas, TX 75231-4496, USA. JeannetteCrenshaw@TexasHealth.org
Winslow
Elizabeth H
EH
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002585:Cesarean Section; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005215:Fasting / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards; D006304:Health Status; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas; D013894:Thirst; D013997:Time Factors; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures