Reducing the Risk of Unplanned Perioperative Hypothermia

Maintaining normothermia is important for patient safety, positive surgical outcomes, and increased patient satisfaction. Causes of unplanned hypothermia in the OR include cold room temperatures, the effects of anesthesia, cold IV and irrigation fluids, skin and wound exposure, and patient risk factors. Nurses at Riddle Memorial Hospital in Media, Pennsylvania, performed a quality improvement project to evaluate the effectiveness of using warm blankets, warm irrigation fluids, or forced-air warming on perioperative patients to maintain their core temperature during the perioperative experience. Results of the project showed that 75% of patients who received forced-air warming perioperatively had temperatures that reached or were maintained at 36° C (96.8° F) or higher within 15 minutes after leaving the OR.