Study preoperative fasting times of adult elective surgical patients.
Methods
Fasting times for food and clear fluids, and the information used by patients to decide when to start fasting were studied.
Results
Among 200 patients, median fasting times were 2–4 times the guideline recommendations. Most patients used hospital written instructions but many started fasting substantially earlier than the instructions stipulated.
Discussion
Improved communication with patients could improve fasting times.
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