Patient Characteristics Associated with NPO (Nil Per Os) Non-Compliance in the Pediatric Surgical Population.

Many factors may impact a family's compliance with NPO guidelines. Patient-related factors included those who self-identified as non-White or non-English speaking. Patients having ENT surgery were less likely to have NPO non-compliance than those having radiologic procedures, dental surgery, or urologic surgery. Future interventions focused on these groups may be most effective in limiting day of surgery cancellations.