Evaluation of Preoperative Risk Assessment and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: Importance for Nurses.

PURPOSE: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) continues to be one of the most common postoperative complications affecting one of four patients. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of preoperative risks and PONV, and to determine the significance for nurses.

DESIGN

This was a descriptive study.

METHODS

The study was carried out with 242 patients in the surgical clinics of a university hospital. The data of the study were evaluated via a "Patient Information Form" and "Patient Evaluation Form," including Apfel and Koivuranta Nausea Vomiting Risk Scores, before and after surgery.

FINDINGS: At the end of the study, 45.9% of the patients were found to have nausea and 23.6% suffered vomiting. The average Apfel risk score of patients was 1.88 ± 1.16, and the Koivuranta risk score was 2.35 ± 1.07.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found that more patients had nausea than vomiting in the postoperative period. We recommend that the risk scores used in the early determination of PONV should be evaluated by nurses and health care workers in the preoperative period. Furthermore, nursing care planning is recommended for patients identified as at risk of PONV.