title: Determining health personnel's application trends of new guidelines for preoperative fasting: findings from a survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For over a century, the discontinuation of oral food intake preoperatively after midnight has been routinely applied. Although routine fasting during the night before elective surgery has been abandoned by many modern centers, preoperative fasting after midnight continues as a routine practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine trends in health personnel's application of new guidelines for preoperative fasting.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research sample of this descriptive study consisted of 73 nurses and physicians who were working in the surgical clinics during the time when the study was conducted and who agreed to participate in the study. The data of the study were collected using a questionnaire designed by the researchers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the health personnel included in the study group, 43.8% routinely kept adult patients fasting after midnight, 34.2% discontinued solid food intake 8 hours preoperatively, 5.5% discontinued solid food intake 6 hours preoperatively, and 34.2% discontinued the intake of clear and particulate liquids 4 to 8 hours preoperatively. Compliance of the American Society of Anesthesiologists' "2-4-6-8 rule" by health staff was very low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was carried out in a hospital and based on the statements of health staff. Therefore, the findings of the study are suggestive in nature and cannot be generalized. We recommend that the study should be conducted with larger sample groups and that actual preoperative fasting periods of the patients should be determined.
authors.forename: Mevlüde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karadağ
authors.forename: Ozge
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pekin İşeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D005215:Fasting; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011300:Preoperative Care
keywords: general anesthesia; new guidelines for preoperative fasting; nurse knowledge; preoperative fasting; surgery