Observational Study
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World J Gastrointest Surg. May 27, 2025; 17(5): 105239
Published online May 27, 2025. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i5.105239
Thirst experience and nursing needs in older patients after general anesthesia for gastrointestinal surgery: A qualitative study
Ting Li, Wen-Hui Dong, Shuo Wang, Ying Wu, Shu-Yan Wang
Ting Li, Wen-Hui Dong, Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China
Shuo Wang, Shu-Yan Wang, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200336, China
Ying Wu, Department of Nursing, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200336, China
Co-corresponding authors: Ying Wu and Shu-Yan Wang.
Author contributions: Li T, Wang SY, and Wu Y contributed to research design and manuscript writing; Li T and Dong WH collected and analyzed the data; Li T, Dong WH, and Wang S contributed to data collection; Wang SY and Wu Y provided overall supervision of the study; all authors contributed to the manuscript and approved the final version. The reasons for designating Wang SY and Wu Y as co-corresponding authors are threefold: Firstly, they possess expertise in the fields of anesthesiology and nursing, offering crucial professional support and advice for the research; secondly, they serve as leaders and mentors within the research team, playing key organizational and guidance roles throughout the project; lastly, their contributions to reviewing and revising this manuscript are equal. In summary, all authors contributed by analyzing and presenting the research from multiple professional perspectives, ensuring the breadth and depth of the research findings.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by The Shanghai Tongren Hospital Ethics Committee (No. 2025-006-01).
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—a checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-a checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Shu-Yan Wang, PhD, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 1111 Xianxia Road, Changning District, Shanghai 200336, China. wsy2785@shtrhospital.com
Received: January 18, 2025
Revised: February 28, 2025
Accepted: March 17, 2025
Published online: May 27, 2025
Processing time: 127 Days and 17.7 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Older patients often experience thirst after general anesthesia for gastrointestinal surgery, particularly during the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) phase. Thirst not only compromises patient comfort but also induces anxiety, which may hinder recovery. Although previous studies have addressed postoperative thirst, research specifically examining thirst experiences and nursing needs in older patients remains limited.

AIM

To explore thirst experiences and nursing needs of older PACU patients following gastrointestinal surgery, aiming to inform targeted interventions.

METHODS

This study employed a phenomenological approach within a qualitative research framework. A purposeful sampling method was used to select 12 older patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery under general anesthesia at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai between November and December 2024. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Themes were extracted from the interview data.

RESULTS

Analysis of the interview data identified four main themes and eight subthemes: (1) Intense sensations of thirst post-surgery (subjective experience of thirst and duration of thirst); (2) Emotional experiences of thirst-related discomfort (anxiety, irritability, and helplessness); (3) Practical challenges in relieving thirst (limitations of current interventions and nursing response time); and (4) Patient expectations of nursing care (desire for more timely interventions and expectation for more proactive attention from nursing staff).

CONCLUSION

Older patients frequently experience substantial thirst discomfort after gastrointestinal surgery under general anesthesia. A multidisciplinary perioperative intervention plan is essential to alleviate these symptoms and enhance postoperative comfort.

Keywords: Older people; General anesthesia; Gastrointestinal surgery; Thirst experience; Nursing; Qualitative research

Core Tip: This qualitative study investigated the thirst experience and nursing needs of elderly patients after general anesthesia for gastrointestinal surgery, particularly in the post-anesthesia care unit. The results revealed that such patients frequently suffered from intense, persistent thirst, along with emotional distress such as anxiety and irritability. Although some nursing interventions were implemented, they were insufficient in alleviating the discomfort. The findings emphasize the importance of timely, effective nursing support and suggest a multidisciplinary approach to address thirst-related needs to enhance patient comfort and recovery.