Sleep, Snoring, and Surgery: OSA Screening Matters.

Purpose: This study was aimed to identify potential obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in ambulatory surgical patients and create perianesthesia nursing protocols using a reliable and validated screening tool.

Design: Descriptive survey.

Methods: A nurse-initiated OSA survey was conducted in 1,118 preoperative ambulatory patients using the STOP-Bang Questionnaire to identify patients at risk for OSA. The findings resulted in the development of protocols, patient education, and interventions.

Findings: Ambulatory surgical patients were not routinely assessed for OSA before this study. The study verified that 10% of patients scheduled for ambulatory elective surgery had undiagnosed OSA and, because of the OSA identification, 16% of all scheduled surgeries were canceled. There were no unnecessary hospitalizations after the nurse-initiated OSA protocol.

Conclusions: The STOP-Bang Questionnaire is a useful tool for screening patients with risks of OSA in the ambulatory surgical setting. This study supports using nursing best practices and safe patient care.