The effect of preoperative fasting period of patients undergoing thyroid surgery on physiological parameters

This research is a descriptive study. The research was completed in Malatya İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center Surgical Service in a total of 6 months. The sample of the study consisted of 40 patients who underwent thyroidectomy surgery. After obtaining the necessary permissions from the ethics committee, patients, and the chief physician of the medical faculty hospital, the research was conducted. Research data were collected using the patient diagnosis form, the form for assessing patients' vital signs, the form in which the laboratory values of the patients are determined, and the wound site evaluation form of patients 3 days after surgery.Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to examine the normal distribution of descriptive statistical methods while evaluating the research data. T-test was used for normally distributed data in dependent groups, Wilcoxon test for non-normally distributed data, and Friedman's test for repeated measurements. As a result of the research, it was determined that heart rate, body temperature, and HbA1cvalue may be affected as the fasting period gets longer.In surgeries performed in other patient groups and in patients with a higher population of thyroid surgery, it was suggested that new research should be done to examine the effect of fasting duration on vital signs, wound site, and blood laboratory values. Keywords: Thyroidectomy; Fasting Duration; Symptoms; Nursing.