Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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In the Vanderbilt Medical Center adult emergency department, the practice has been to keep patients on "nothing by mouth" (NPO) status throughout their assessment, diagnostic, and treatment phases. As a result, most patients have NPO status for a period of several hours to days. The consequences are patient discomfort, hunger, thirst, dehydration, interruptions in routine medication schedules, poor glucose control, and compromised acid/base balance. The purpose of this project was to modify the NPO practice in the adult emergency department. ⋯ The ASA guidelines have been in existence for more than a decade. They are evidence based. The role of the nurse is to advocate for the patient. Nurses need to be proactive in determining the timing of procedures and asking physicians to give diet orders that are in accordance with the ASA guidelines.
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Review Case Reports
Assessing Patient Decision-Making Capacity: It's About the Thought Process.