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center did not have a temperature
monitoring and management pro-
tocol in place to identify and treat
patients who arrived for surgery in
a hypothermic state or for high-
risk patients — such as frail, older
individuals without significant
body mass — who needed to be
prewarmed before surgery.
Finally, says Ms. Dowling-
Schmitt, staff members who felt
hot while working in the OR didn't
hesitate to turn down the tempera-
ture in the room without consider-
ing how the cooler ambient envi-
ronment would impact efforts to
keep patients normothermic.
• Improve. This is the step where real change
happens. The surgery center invested in a large-
capacity blanket and fluid warmer for the pre-op
area. Having immediate access to the unit means
pre-op nurses can cover patients with warmed
blankets while they're waiting for surgery. Nurses
can also apply active warming
measures to patients who arrive
with initial temperature readings
below 36°C, are at high risk of
becoming hypothermic and are
scheduled to undergo proce-
dures expected to last 60 min-
utes or longer.
Prewarming is an important
way to ensure patients remain
normothermic throughout their
stay. "General anesthesia stops
the body's normal thermoregula-
tory response that's needed to
counteract low temperatures,"
says Irl Rosner, MD, an anesthesi-
ologist and medical director of
surgery centers at Spectrum. "It's
important to maintain a patient's
normothermic temperature when
they enter the OR."
Shivering increases oxygen
consumption by 400%, according
to Dr. Rosner, who says that's a
significant risk factor for patients
with a history of cardiac issues.
RAC Medical Solutions
RAC Medical Solutions offers
Irrigation Fluid Warming
Systems and Drapes. The
drapes are designed for use
with Irrigation Fluid Warming
and Slush Systems. The RAC
Fluid Warming Drapes and
Slush Drapes are made in the
U.S.A. RAC is a Veteran owned
small business. Our goal is to
provide friendly service and
best in class products to the
Medical providers.
www.racmedicalsolutions.com
Customer Service: (855) 798-6685 (6AM – 9PM CST)
Email Orders: orders@racmedicalsolutions.com
Sales and Marketing: marketing@racmedicalsolutions.com
Coming in 1st Quarter 2021 –
RAC9000 Sedberry Slush Machine!!
BLANKET STATEMENT Normothermic patients experience improved wound healing, suffer less post-op bleeding and are
at lower risk of developing surgical site infections.
