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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT 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
kets," says Shafik Thobani, MBBS, FRCPC, a clinical assistant profes-
sor at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, Canada. "Also, keep
the OR temperature higher just before induction and emergence."
Another tip for all types of procedures: "Place the warming blankets
next to the patient's skin, like they're designed to be placed," says Mr.
Long. "Many circulators place the warming blankets over the bath
towels or blankets, which dramatically reduces the effectiveness of
the warming blanket."
"Our ORs are so cold …"
As several practitioners point out, ORs tend to be on the chilly side
("Our pre- and post-op areas could freeze beans," says one nurse man-
ager). And among the many challenges are "hot-natured surgeons who
want the room freezing and don't like warming devices," says a CRNA.
What can you do under those circumstances? The best advice: Do any-
thing you can, or as another anesthesia provider puts it, "Cover as
much of their bodies as possible with warming devices, and do it as
soon as possible." OSM
E-mail
jb urg er@outpa tientsurg ery.net
.
P A T I E N T W A R M I N G
on the patient's lower extremities. The IV bag and tubing are often directly
adjacent to this. Instead of letting the IV tubing hang freely, I tuck the
excess infusion tubing beneath the warming blanket. That helps the IV fluid
lose its chill as it courses through the 12 inches of excess tubing beneath
the blanket.
— Charles A. DeFrancesco, MD
Dr. DeFrancesco (
na pma n@comca st.net
) is a staff anesthesiologist at
Delmont Surgery Center in Greensburg, Pa.
