which the patient lies), 3%
use some type of radiant
warming device and 1.5%
use a conductive polymer
fabric that warms the
patient from above and
below simultaneously.
Another 6.3% cited "other"
and listed a variety of
warming methods includ-
ing warm compresses, hot
packs and a Mylar blanket.
Nearly two-thirds (63.9%)
of respondents warm fluids. By far, the top fluid-warming method
cited was a warming cabinet (84.8%). Nearly one-third (32.7%) use "a
warming device as the fluid is administered intravenously."
Rationale for warming
At the heart of this survey is a simple question: Why do you warm
patients? The top reasons readers gave for warming patients were to
"make patients comfortable/prevent shivering" (92.4%) and to "pre-
vent hypothermia and its clinical complications" (79.9%). In addition,
52.7% warm patients to prevent surgical site infections and 51.2% do it
to reduce recovery/PACU times. Of course, safety is always para-
mount for facilities, so it's no surprise many readers cited preventing
surgical site infections and hypothermia as primary reasons for their
warming protocols. But the patient satisfaction impact simply can't be
overstated, so it's very telling that the top reason readers gave for
warming patients was to make them comfortable and prevent shiver-
ing. After all, comfort is a key patient-satisfaction metric.
7 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9
• PREEMPTIVE STRIKE Of the readers who warm patients pre-operatively,
half (50.6%) do it for 30 minutes or longer, according to Outpatient Surgery's
patient warming survey.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
