Objective:
This article aimed to study preoperative fasting times in children undergoing elective surgery and to analyze the effect of active interventions conducted to promote compliance with current fasting guidelines.
Methods:
An initial audit was performed in which 85 children up to 15 years of age posted for elective surgeries were surveyed. A question- naire was circulated among nurses, resident medical officers, and surgeons to assess their knowledge regarding recent fasting guidelines and its importance. The mean preoperative fasting times were found to be much longer than the recommended guidelines. Interventions were carried out to spread awareness about recent preoperative fasting guidelines. A re-audit was done 4 months after the initial audit.
Results:
The initial audit revealed a mean preoperative fasting time for solids and water to be 9.43 hours and 6.64 hours, respectively. About 43.6% of hospital staff believed “fasting from midnight” regimen is the best method to prevent pulmonary aspiration. Incorrect orders by doctors (47%) and ward nurses (38%) were found to be important causes of non-adherence. After the intervention, mean preoperative fasting times for solids and water decreased to 7.7 hours and 2.6 hours, respectively.
Conclusion:
Adopting simple measures such as education and multidisciplinary teamwork can optimize fasting duration and children’s experi- ences preoperatively.
Keywords: Audit, children, fasting guidelines, non-adherence, preoperative fasting