A quasi-experimental study examining the safety profile and comfort provided by two different blanket temperatures

Surgical patients are often covered with warm blankets to alleviate the discomfort of feeling too cold in the perioperative environment. The goal of this study was to provide evidence to guide institutional blanket warming policies by examining blanket thermal behavior and blanket temperature preference of postoperative patients. The hypothesis was that 155°F blankets are safe for patient use and provide a higher level of thermal comfort to perioperative patients than do 110°F blankets. A sample of 156 adult participants was randomized to the intervention group (n=76), who received 155°F blankets, or the control group (n=80), who received 110°F blankets. Participants were covered neck to toe with the blankets in the postanesthesia care unit, and measurements were obtained for 10 minutes. An infrared thermometer was used to measure skin and blanket temperatures, and a numeric scale was used to measure thermal comfort. Blanket cooling rates were examined along with the effect of blanket temperatures on participants' skin temperature, oral temperature, and thermal comfort rating. Mean blanket temperatures for both groups were less than 93°F two minutes after application. The intervention group showed higher skin temperatures and thermal comfort throughout 10 minutes of data collection. The results of this study support the hypothesis that it is safe to cover surgical patients with 155°F blankets. Results also indicate a correlation between 155°F blankets and higher skin temperature and thermal comfort.