Postoperative nausea and vomiting: development of a management protocol.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is still an important and common problem. Despite the introduction of new antiemetic drugs, the management of PONV remains difficult. In this article we describe the development and evaluation of a management protocol for PONV, which consists of a treatment algorithm accompanied by a nursing education program. Implementation of this management protocol has been well-accepted by staff, appears to have reduced delay in patient treatment and improved patient care, and has significantly reduced staff workload. It is planned to use continuous quality improvement techniques to further refine the algorithm and continue assessment of its efficacy and of patient satisfaction.