[Effects of a warming strategy on the temperature of patients waiting for surgery]

Patient hypothermia is a critical nursing problem in the preoperative room. Applying an appropriate temperature control strategy prior to surgery helps patients maintain body temperature and physical comfort.

This project assessed the temperature effects of a coat warming strategy on preoperative patients.

This quasi-experimental study invited 60 participants who were divided into two groups, namely an experimental group (n = 30) that used a coat temperature control strategy and a control group (n = 30) that used a routine strategy. We analyzed changes in patient-perceived temperature, auricular temperature, skin color at the distal end of extremities, and Dali lithosporic at the upper arm. Measurements were taken once at pretest and at 5 and 10 minutes after intervention.

Compared with the control group, experimental group patients reported feeling significantly less cold (p < .001, 5 minutes after intervention; p = .001) and had lower Dali lithosporic (p < .001, 5 minutes after intervention), higher auricular temperature (p = .026, 5 minutes after intervention) and pinker skin color at the distal end of their extremities (p = .016, 5 minutes after intervention).

This evidence-based result offers nurses a suggested strategy for effective control of patient temperature.