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P R E V E N T I N G
H Y P O T H E R M I A
NURSING INTERVENTIONS
Your 12-Step Perioperative Warming Checklist
1. Perform a patient
assessment.
2. Measure and monitor core temperature.
3. Employ cutaneous
warming about 30
minutes pre-proce-
PATIENT ADVOCATE Keeping patients warm is part
of the mission of nursing.
dure.
4. Increase ambient temperature of the pre-op area.
5. Ensure OR temperature of 21°C to 24°C (69°F to 75°F).
6. Prevent redistribution heat loss.
7. Warm irrigation fluids.
8. Minimize exposure of patient to room air.
9. Humidify and warm airway gases.
10. Warm using only approved devices/methods.
11. Ensure the patient is kept as dry as possible.
12. Initiate passive (socks, head covering, warmed blanket) or active
(convection/conduction/resistive devices, warmed irrigation/IV fluids)
warming therapy.
— Donna A. Ford, MSN, RN-BC, CNOR
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | N O V E M B E R 2012
