Final Scholarly Project: Development and Initial Validation of an Evidence-Based Guideline for Presurgical Medication Hold Times

Author

Alyscia DeFranciscoFollow

ORCID

0009-0001-9495-6577

Date of Award

Spring 5-4-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Dr. John Chovan

First Committee Member

Dr. Regina Prusinski

Second Committee Member

Dr. Joy Shoemaker

Keywords

presurgical testing, education session, medication hold guidelines, Benner’s novice to expert theory

Subject Categories

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Problem Statement: Presurgical testing is a critical component for preventing surgery delays and postsurgical complications. A major focus of presurgical testing is educating patients on hold times of medications prior to surgery. Medication guidelines vary across ambulatory surgery centers.

Methods: Creating a standardized evidence-based medication guideline could improve some surgical complications. This project is the creation and pilot evaluation of an evidence-based medication guideline. After the development of the guideline participants attended an educational session. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the guideline, used a preintervention and postintervention questionnaire. The participants of the project are presurgical testing practitioners at a small physician owned practice. Practitioners completed a preintervention and postintervention questionnaire to compare the practitioners’ knowledge level and comfort level around medication hold times. The questionnaire used a Likert-type scale.

Outcome: The outcomes showed improvement to the practitioners’ knowledge and comfort level about medication holds prior to surgery.

Conclusion: The outcomes indicated the need for additional testing.

Acknowledgement 1

1

Acknowledgement 2

1

Licensing Permission

Copyright, some rights reserved. Attribution – Noncommercial – No Derivative Works

Recommended Citation

DeFrancisco, Alyscia, "Final Scholarly Project: Development and Initial Validation of an Evidence-Based Guideline for Presurgical Medication Hold Times" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 171.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_doc/171