AORN journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effectiveness and cost of passive warming in adult ambulatory surgery patients.
Hypothermia is a common problem for surgical patients and can result in many complications. Because few studies compare methods of passive warming, we used an unblinded, prospective, experimental, randomized design to compare the effectiveness of two passive methods of normothermia management in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). ⋯ The treatment group had temperatures that were significantly higher than those of the control group 30 minutes after arrival in the PACU, and the treatment group experienced a greater change in temperature from baseline measurements to those taken at 30 minutes. The treatment group also used fewer warmed blankets, resulting in cost savings for the PACU.