Maintaining patient body temperature at a normothermic level is a critical factor during a patient’s surgical care. Any change in a surgical patient’s body temperature can delay immune response, trigger a cardiac event, and risk optimal outcomes. This learning activity will help RNs and allied health professionals working in surgical care to understand why maintaining patient normothermia is essential to patient safety. Learners will develop knowledge on evidence-based strategies to track a patient’s core body temperature and apply warming methods to ensure their patients maintain normothermia throughout the surgical experience.
Learning Objectives:
Describe the physiological effects of anesthesia on thermoregulation and the risks associated with perioperative hypothermia
Explain the importance of pre-warming and the use of forced-air warming systems in maintaining normothermia throughout the surgical experience
Compare and contrast temperature monitoring methods throughout all perioperative phases
Apply guidelines and recommendations for maintaining normothermia and assessing patient core temperature
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