Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses
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J. Perianesth. Nurs. · Jun 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyNormothermia and patient comfort: a comparative study in an outpatient surgery setting.
ASPAN guidelines for the prevention of unplanned perioperative hypothermia define normothermia as a core temperature between 36 and 38 degrees C and an acceptable level of warmth. Over a six-month period, more than 30% of the same-day surgery patients experienced hypothermic core temperatures on admission to the preoperative unit. The purpose of the study was to compare two preoperative warming methods (forced-air gowns vs traditional warmed cotton blankets) on oral body temperatures, and patients reported "thermal" comfort in ambulatory surgery patients. ⋯ There was no significant difference in postoperative temperature between the subjects warmed with blankets and the warm-air gowns. Subjects warmed with the warm-air gowns reported higher comfort scores after 30 minutes of warming than those warmed with blankets. The change in comfort score from baseline to 30 minutes post warming was greater in the warm-air gown group (P = .001), indicating that warm-air gowns contribute to patients' increased thermal comfort.
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Many reports indicate that family member presence in the PACU may decrease anxiety levels in both patients and family members. PACUs, nevertheless, often restrict family visitation because of the close proximity to ORs, complexity, and the fast-paced recovery environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of parental presence on the anxiety levels of children ages 9 to 18, observed behavior of children ages 6 to 8, and reported parental anxiety in the pre- and postoperative periods. ⋯ Patients aged 13 to 18 with parents in-PACU had significantly lowered anxiety scores than patients with parents in-Waiting Room (t = 2.51, P = .02). Anxiety scores for younger children (9-12 years old) were not lowered postoperatively regardless of parent placement. Regardless of age, patients with parents in-PACU showed statistically significantly greater pain pre-operatively compared with patients with in-Waiting Room parents (t = 3.15, P = .002), but this difference disappeared postoperatively.
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Approximately 300,000 people experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) per year. The percentage of people who survive to discharge from the hospital is a dismal 10% to 25%. After SCA and the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, these individuals can suffer what is known as "post resuscitation syndrome." This syndrome includes post-cardiac arrest brain injury, a cycle of cerebral edema and cell death that can lead to permanent neurological damage. ⋯ There are many reasons why this may be true. Despite its proven usefulness, TH does have some side effects that are best handled in the setting of intensive care units. This article describes a case of therapeutic hypothermia and its implications for perianesthesia nursing care.