In the English law of tort, professional negligence is a subset of the general rules on negligence to cover the situation in which the defendant has represented him or herself as having more than average skills and abilities.
For decades, anesthesiologists advised patients not to eat or drink after midnight the night before surgeryâa guideline referred to as âNPO after midnight.â But many doctors now believe that some food and drinks, like tea or coffee without milk or cream, may be acceptable prior to a procedure.
The amount of time that a patient should not eat or drink varies by procedure and the preferences of the health care professional. In addition to not eating before surgery, a patient should also have a relatively light, healthy last meal before beginning the fast and not smoke or drink alcohol.