Fluid monitoring process helps bariatric surgery patients drink more water

Editor's Note

A well-structured water distribution and documentation process helped bariatric surgery patients drink more water and improve postoperative outcomes, finds this study presented July 23 at the 2017 American College of Surgeons Quality and Safety Conference.

The average baseline water intake for 12 patients was 381.5 mL during a 24 hour period. After the process was implemented, the average intake for 39 patients increased to 1,109.5 mL over 24 hours. Currently, the average intake for 102 patients is 1,007 mL.

Adequate fluid intake is an important component of bariatric surgery recovery, the authors say. Dehydration is one of the most common reasons for patient readmissions after bariatric surgical procedures.

A well-structured water distribution and documentation process led to increased water intake at one hospital, according to study results presented at 2017 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. NEW YORK (July 24, 2017, 11:00 am ET): Nurses on the bariatric surgery care team at a Connecticut hospital were having difficulty keeping track of patients' fluid intake after hospital admission.