Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Placement of an esophageal temperature probe by nurses
Mary Beth Flynn Makic1, Karen Lovett, M Fareedul Azam
1University of Colorado Hospital, College of Nursing, University of Colorado-Denver, 12401 E 17th Ave., Aurora, CO 80045, USA. marybeth.makic@uch.edu
Background:
Current guidelines support therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest. An esophageal temperature probe (ETP) provides a core temperature assessment; however, accurate placement is necessary.
Objectives:
To demonstrate accurate placement of an ETP and evaluate the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation with anatomic imaging.
Methods:
Registered nurses (RNs) were educated using 3-dimensional, high-fidelity simulation with VH Dissector technology (Touch of Life Technologies, Aurora, Colorado) to demonstrate ETP placement. The RNs provided survey responses on the effectiveness of simulation before and after using the simulator.
Results:
: Thirty-two RNs participated and did not demonstrate difficulties with the skill; however, 53.1% required more than 1 attempt for accurate placement in the distal esophagus. Survey results found that participants had increased confidence and high satisfaction with simulation and 3-dimensional imaging (P < .001).
Conclusions:
Literature is lacking to guide ETP placement. In this study, RNs overestimated the depth for ETP insertion. Accurate temperature readings are highly dependent on accurate anatomical location placement. Providing skill competency training that incorporated anatomical imaging technology enhanced RNs' awareness for effective skill acquisition.
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