Journal of post anesthesia nursing
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Rewarming hypothermic postanesthesia patients: a comparison between a water coil warming blanket and a forced-air warming blanket.
The warming effects of a Blanketrol water coil-heated hypothermia blanket and a Bair Hugger forced-warm air warming blanket were compared. Thirty-two patients admitted to the PACU with temperatures 34.4 degrees C (94 degrees F) or lower were assigned to treatment with the Blanketrol (Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products, Cincinnati, OH) or the Bair Hugger (Augustine Medical, Eden Prairie, MN) in alternating fashion, and treatment continued until the patients' temperatures reached 36.1 degrees C (97 degrees F). Every half hour each patient's temperature was measured using a tympanic temperature device and recorded on the data collection sheet. Analysis of the findings showed that the forced-air warming blanket warmed patients to 36.1 degrees C (97 degrees F) or higher significantly faster than the water coil-heated blanket (P < .001).
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Most PACUs are accustomed to rapidly weaning patients who arrive on mechanical ventilators. However, as the acuity of patients in the PACU continues to increase, the ability to quickly wean patients to extubation is becoming less possible. The difficult-to-wean patient population is requiring the PACU nurse to become more astute in assessing and planning the weaning process. A collaborative approach can facilitate the successful weaning of a patient from the ventilator.