A patient has surgery at 0800 and must be NPO for 12 hours prior. By what time should they stop eating or drinking?

A patient has surgery at 0800 and must be NPO for 12 hours prior. By what time should they stop eating or drinking?

• A. 0600
• B. 0700
• C. 2000
• D. 2200

Answer: (C)

The main idea is preoperative fasting to reduce the risk of aspiration during anesthesia. If the surgery starts at 8:00 AM and the patient must be NPO for 12 hours, count back 12 hours from the start time. 12 hours before 8:00 AM is 8:00 PM the previous day. So the patient should stop eating or drinking by 8:00 PM the day before. Stopping earlier would lengthen the fasting period, and stopping later would not meet the full 12-hour requirement, increasing risk.

The main idea is preoperative fasting to reduce the risk of aspiration during anesthesia. If the surgery starts at 8:00 AM and the patient must be NPO for 12 hours, count back 12 hours from the start time. 12 hours before 8:00 AM is 8:00 PM the previous day. So the patient should stop eating or drinking by 8:00 PM the day before. Stopping earlier would lengthen the fasting period, and stopping later would not meet the full 12-hour requirement, increasing risk.