The American journal of nursing
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Nurses use a variety of methods to cool critically ill patients, even though there are no guidelines for the treatment of temperature elevation in this population. In order to determine whether physical methods of antipyresis, such as the application of cooling blankets, are appropriate for use in the ICU, and if so which methods are best, the authors conducted a literature review. ⋯ A literature review examines external cooling methods for use in the ICU. The findings raise some doubts.