Journal of perioperative practice
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This Open Learning Zone article outlines the necessity of monitoring temperature for patients undergoing surgical procedures with either general or local anaesthesia. An overview of the physiology of heat production and loss in the human body, and temperature as thermal measurement is given.
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Cancellations on the day of surgery represent a major wastage of resources and can impose significant distress on patients. Minimising same day cancellations can improve cost effectiveness of operating theatre running. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of administering a questionnaire, by phone to elective orthopaedic patients, the week prior to surgery. ⋯ Administering the questionnaire reduced the same day cancellations due to patient reasons from 11 out of 110 (10%) to 2 out of 118 (1.60%) (p = 0.01). Theatre wastage in terms of national tariff lost due to cancellations was reduced from 25,881 sterling pounds to 1,650 sterling pounds (p<0.001). The study concludes that administering a questionnaire aimed at addressing patient related reasons can significantly reduce same day cancellations.