SNHP | Senior Nursing Poster Session

Reducing Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia through Education and Protocol

Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Graduate

Major

Nursing

Minor

nurse anesthesia specialty

List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)

Darlena Jones, CRNA, DNP

Presentation Format

Poster Presentation

Abstract/Description

Reducing Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia Through Education and Protocol Provision

Capstone Leader: Ashley Arrington, SRNA

Baptist Health Murray State University Program of Anesthesia, Madisonville, KY

Keywords: Inadvertent, Perioperative, Hypothermia, Normothermia, Thermal Management

Background: Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia occurs as a result of the body’s inability to effectively regulate temperature following the induction of general anesthesia. Other factors contributing to the body’s ability to maintain normothermia include exposure to cold ambient temperatures in the operating room, infusion of cold intravenous fluids, as well as open body cavities. A consensus exists that there is a correlation between perioperative hypothermia and adverse outcomes including impaired coagulation, altered drug metabolism, post-operative wound infection as well as cardiovascular complications.

Objectives: The purpose of this capstone project was to reduce the incidence of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia through education and provision of a perioperative protocol to guide clinicians in avoidance of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia.

Process: CRNAs and anesthesiologists from a rural hospital in the Midwestern United States (n=7) participated in a pretestto determine their current knowledge of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia. Education regarding inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, its adverse effects as well as types of thermal management then followed. The participants then completed a post-test to determine the effectiveness of the educational session. The capstone leader developed a protocol and materials for use in a retrospective chart review by the hospital’s OR and anesthesia staff, to guide practice in avoidance of hypothermia in surgical patients.

Outcomes: Following completion of the educational session, the CRNAs stated on the post-test that their current thermal management practice would change and the educational session was very beneficial and applicable to practice. A post-test also revealed that their knowledge of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and thermal management of a surgical patient had significantly improved. The formal protocol was not implemented at the conclusion of the project, in lieu of surgical services management priority initiatives. However, the anesthesia team has retained copies of the protocol and chart review materials to prepare for planned implementation in the future.

Affiliations

Nursing

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Reducing Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia through Education and Protocol

Reducing Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia Through Education and Protocol Provision

Capstone Leader: Ashley Arrington, SRNA

Baptist Health Murray State University Program of Anesthesia, Madisonville, KY

Keywords: Inadvertent, Perioperative, Hypothermia, Normothermia, Thermal Management

Background: Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia occurs as a result of the body’s inability to effectively regulate temperature following the induction of general anesthesia. Other factors contributing to the body’s ability to maintain normothermia include exposure to cold ambient temperatures in the operating room, infusion of cold intravenous fluids, as well as open body cavities. A consensus exists that there is a correlation between perioperative hypothermia and adverse outcomes including impaired coagulation, altered drug metabolism, post-operative wound infection as well as cardiovascular complications.

Objectives: The purpose of this capstone project was to reduce the incidence of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia through education and provision of a perioperative protocol to guide clinicians in avoidance of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia.

Process: CRNAs and anesthesiologists from a rural hospital in the Midwestern United States (n=7) participated in a pretestto determine their current knowledge of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia. Education regarding inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, its adverse effects as well as types of thermal management then followed. The participants then completed a post-test to determine the effectiveness of the educational session. The capstone leader developed a protocol and materials for use in a retrospective chart review by the hospital’s OR and anesthesia staff, to guide practice in avoidance of hypothermia in surgical patients.

Outcomes: Following completion of the educational session, the CRNAs stated on the post-test that their current thermal management practice would change and the educational session was very beneficial and applicable to practice. A post-test also revealed that their knowledge of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and thermal management of a surgical patient had significantly improved. The formal protocol was not implemented at the conclusion of the project, in lieu of surgical services management priority initiatives. However, the anesthesia team has retained copies of the protocol and chart review materials to prepare for planned implementation in the future.