Implementing a Care Bundle to Prevent Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia in Organ Transplant Recipients: A...

To investigate the effect of care bundle implementation (CBI) on inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) in transplant recipients.

A prospective nonparallel cohort study.

This study was conducted in three periods: DIM. (1) Detection (D), which identified practical deficiencies in hypothermia prevention among transplant recipients; (2) Implementation (I), which involved training perioperative team members on hypothermia management and the CBI; and (3) Measurement (M), which assessed the impact of the CBI on IPH in organ transplant recipients. Data from the D and M periods were compared.

A total of 71 organ transplant recipients participated in the study, 34 in the D period and 37 in the M period. The compliance with all steps of the care bundle increased from 0% to 78.4% (P < .001, D vs M, respectively). The incidence of IPH decreased 40% (P < .001). Body temperatures in the M period were approximately 0.8 to 1 °C higher than in the D period, intraoperative (P = .02), on admission to the intensive care unit (P < .001), and postoperative (P < .001), respectively.

The implementation of care bundles based on evidence-based practices was successful in identifying practical deficiencies in hypothermia prevention, reducing the incidence of IPH, and increasing body temperatures in transplant recipients. It is recommended that systematic approaches be developed for care bundles, incorporating multidisciplinary perioperative team members, to prevent hypothermia in surgical departments.