METHODS: The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design.
METHODS: A total of 211 children under anesthesia in a Shanghai\'s pediatric hospital were included in the study. The preoperative fasting status was assessed using a self-administered record card of preoperative fasting developed by Chinese researchers.
RESULTS: The results indicated that the length of time fasted preoperatively was longer for all participants than that recommended by the American Society of Anesthesiologists. With the long length of fasting time, it is evident that the majority of children experienced hunger (17.5%), thirst (19.4%), and anxiety (16.1%) as indicated with 8 points of the Likert 10-point scale. The degrees of these experiences were relevant to the length of preoperative fasting time.
CONCLUSIONS: A big gap was revealed between the recommendation and actual practice, and children underwent an uncomfortable experience before the surgery. These results suggest that evidence-based clinical improvement is required, and the recommended preoperative fasting instruction transform into clinical practice should be promoted.