Nurses observations and interventions related to fluid and electrolyte balance in patients having had gastrointestinal surger.

The findings of this study led to several conclusions which have obvious significance for those concerned with complete and effective patient care, especially for those responsible for postoperative gastrointestinal patients care. First, the dta resulting from this study was very consistent with the first hypothesis, that nurses would observe significantly more signs and symptoms of fluid and electrolyte balance with a list of possible symptoms than without such a list. There was a very significant statistical difference in the ability of the surgical nurses studied to observed and identify correctly certain signs and symptoms of fluid and electrolyte imbalance with the aid of a key or list of these symptoms. Second, there was a significantly measurable difference in the number of actions actually taken by the nurses following their identification of the symptoms and conditions when a key or list of possible action to be taken was at hand than when none was provided. Finally, the findings of this study are consistent with the third hypothesis. There was a significant statistical difference in the number of signs and symptoms recognized by the investigator, a graduate student in medical-surgical Nursing;, and the number identified by the surgical nurses studied who have, for the most part, little or no formal graduate study.