"I've always felt that when patients are warm, they're happier and
feel better taken care of," says Pamela Borello, BS, RN, CNOR, CSSM,
a nurse at Michigan Cosmetic Surgery Center in West Bloomfield. And
when patients feel better, they're more likely to give your facility a
better overall review, adds Ms. Borello. At Michigan Cosmetic Surgery
Center, patients are warmed at every phase of the surgical journey —
pre-operatively (with cotton blankets warmed with a blanket warmer
"at the highest temperature setting for blanket warmers"), intraopera-
tively and post-operatively — and their temperatures are monitored
via temporal and ear sensors.
While Ms. Borello says patient safety is her facility's top priority, she
also understands that patients have different concerns when they're
coming out of anesthesia. "When patients wake up, they're not wor-
ried about SSIs," says Ms. Borello. And though you may not find clear
evidence directly linking warmer, more comfortable patients and
reduced pain, Ms. Borello has seen this connection firsthand. Patients'
7 8 • 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
q We warm all patients 57.2%
q Duration of surgery 47.3%
q Surgical procedure 40.1%
q Type of anesthesia 33.5%
q Patient's age 33.2%
q Ambient OR temperature 33.2%
q Patient's ASA status/pre-existing medical conditions 23.6%
q Patient's anxiety level 18.3%
q Other 11.4%
q Patient's BMI 9.6%
q Patient's gender 3.6%
If you warm surgical patients, please list the considerations
that factor into the decision (check all that apply).
SOURCE: Outpatient Surgery Magazine Survey, November 2019, 408 respondents
