The gap between clinical experience and standardized knowledge of PONV: A nationwide survey of nurses in Japan

Purpose This study aimed to identify the gap between clinical experience and standardized knowledge regarding postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) among hospital nurses in Japan. Specifically, it examined factors associated with nurses' conceptual understanding of PONV while describing their awareness, knowledge, care experiences, and sources of information. Design A cross-sectional, anonymous, web-based questionnaire survey. Methods The survey included 401 hospital nurses in Japan. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with nurses' conceptual understanding of PONV. Findings While 79.3% of participants were aware of the Japanese term for postoperative nausea and vomiting, only 24.4% recognized its equivalence to the standardized abbreviation "PONV." Although 67.3% had direct experience caring for patients with postoperative nausea or vomiting, only 57.6% demonstrated conceptual understanding of PONV. Recognition of the equivalence between the Japanese term and "PONV" was the strongest predictor of conceptual understanding (OR = 21.99, 95% CI: 7.43–65.14), far outweighing the impact of clinical experience alone (OR = 2.80). Conclusions A significant gap exists between nurses' clinical experience and their standardized knowledge of PONV. Improving nurses' conceptual understanding of PONV through standardized terminology is essential to enable ward nurses to participate effectively in multidisciplinary perioperative management of PONV and to facilitate the transition from reactive, symptom-based care to proactive, evidence-based management. Integrating standardized terminology and validated risk assessment tools into clinical pathways is essential to strengthen ward nurses' contribution to multidisciplinary perioperative care and enhance the quality of perioperative care.