How the Nurse Anesthetist Decides to Manage Perioperative Fluid Status.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors that affect how nurse anesthetists in a county in Sweden decide how to manage perioperative fluid status.


METHODS
A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted at two surgical wards in a county hospital.


METHODS
Sixteen nurse anesthetists were interviewed to explore how nurse anesthetists assess patients' intraoperative fluid requirements and the subsequent measures adopted.


RESULTS
Three categories emerged through content analysis: clinical criteria and the thought process that drives decision making, interdependence in decision making, and uncertainty in decision making.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed differences with regard to fluid management among nurse anesthetists in a county in Sweden. For the assessments and subsequent measures that are carried out to ensure optimal fluid therapy, more research is needed to provide evidence, and evidence-based guidelines need to be developed in Sweden.
Honey
H
Calebrant
Marie
M
Sandh
Inger
I
Jansson
D003657:Decision Making; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009719:Nurse Anesthetists; D013527:Perioperative Nursing; D013548:Sweden; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
fluid therapy; intraoperative; nursing assessment; qualitative content analysis