SAMBA Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: An Executive Summary for Perianesthesia Nurses.

POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA AND VOMITING (PONV) remains one of the most common, and most distressing postoperative complications. Despite advances in pharmacological and nonpharmacological prophylactic and rescue interventions, postoperative vomiting (POV) occurs in approximately 30% of surgical patients, while the incidence of nausea is around 50%. The incidence of PONV in high risk patients may run as high as 80%. Although relatively short-lived in nature, patients identify PONVas one of the most dreaded postoperative complications, many fearing PONV more than postoperative pain. Protracted PONV is associated with increased cost of care, most commonly related to extended PACU length of stay (LOS) and increased unplanned hospital admissions. Unrelieved postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) has been associated with delayed return to work/normal activities of daily living, and often contributes to emergency department visits and associated hospital readmission.