How the Nurse Anesthetist Decides to Manage Perioperative Fluid Status.

PURPOSE: To determine the factors that affect how nurse anesthetists in a county in Sweden decide how to manage perioperative fluid status.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted at two surgical wards in a county hospital.

METHODS: Sixteen nurse anesthetists were interviewed to explore how nurse anesthetists assess patients' intraoperative fluid requirements and the subsequent measures adopted.

FINDING: Three categories emerged through content analysis: clinical criteria and the thought process that drives decision making, interdependence in decision making, and uncertainty in decision making.

CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed differences with regard to fluid management among nurse anesthetists in a county in Sweden. For the assessments and subsequent measures that are carried out to ensure optimal fluid therapy, more research is needed to provide evidence, and evidence-based guidelines need to be developed in Sweden.