ing surgery. The sticker has an image of a traditional thermometer,
with a row of Fahrenheit temperatures on one end (84°-106°) and a
row of Celsius temperatures on the other (29°-41°). When the sticker
is affixed to the patient's forehead, a bar between the 2 rows will
move up and down, depending on the body temperature of the
patient, says Ms. York.
That can be a great indicator during surgery because it has no
attachments and doesn't interfere with a procedure, but it can still
indicate to nurses and anesthesia providers when a patient is losing
body heat.
Case by case
Every normothermia case is different and should be treated as such.
Consider the fact that core temperatures are generally slightly higher in
women than men and that they vary by about 1°C, according to Dr.
Sessler. Or what about the study that shows elderly patients are more
prone to becoming hypothermic during surgery? By supplying your
facility with a variety of tools to manage and monitor normothermia,
you're ensuring that you can approach each patient's case with the indi-
vidualized care it needs.
OSM
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