Surgical nurses' level of knowledge and attitude regarding the preoperative fasting period

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes and knowledge levels of surgical nurses about preoperative fasting period. This descriptive study was conducted in the surgical clinics of a university hospital. The data collected contained information regarding the attitudes and knowledge of participants regarding the perioperative fasting period. The sample included 214 nurses who worked in surgical clinics and volunteered to participate in the study. It was found that the nurses' level of knowledge about the preoperative fasting period was moderate and level of attitude was good. The knowledge scores of individuals who were married (p = 0.045) and over 30 years of age (p = 0.003) were statistically significantly high (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the nurses' position (p = 0.014), the duration of work in the clinic (p = 0.025), and the working clinic (p = 0.030). The knowledge scores of the nurses who participated in the study increased as their education levels increased (β = 0.907), and their attitude scores increased as their working positions increased (β = 0.408). Conclusion: The nurses were found to have an interest in the extended fasting periods, but they were unaware of the current approaches. In-service training and the implementation of a preoperative fasting protocol are both recommended.