8.12. Patient Monitoring During Surgery: Patient Temperature Monitoring

Nurses play a key role in monitoring the patient during surgery, and one of the most important aspects of this process is monitoring the patient's temperature. Maintaining thermal homeostasis is essential for patient safety and well-being during the surgical procedure.

Perioperative hypothermia, a drop in core body temperature to below 36°C, is a common and potentially dangerous complication of surgery. It can lead to a number of problems, including increased bleeding, surgical wound infections, changes in drug metabolism, and patient discomfort.

Importance of Temperature Monitoring

Continuous and accurate monitoring of the patient's temperature during surgery allows the nursing staff to quickly detect any changes and take steps to correct them. This may include the use of heated blankets, heated infusion solutions, or adjustments to the operating room temperature.

Temperature Monitoring Methodology

There are several techniques for taking the patient's temperature during surgery. The choice of method depends on several factors, including the type of surgery, the patient's condition and the anesthesiologist's preference. Common methods include eardrum thermometers, skin thermometers, esophageal thermistors, and bladder temperature catheters.

It is important to note that different methods can produce slightly different temperature readings. Therefore, it is crucial to use the same measurement method throughout the entire procedure to ensure consistency and accuracy.

Nursing Interventions

When a variation in the patient's temperature is detected, the nursing team must intervene promptly. This can involve a variety of strategies depending on the specific situation.

For example, if the patient is hypothermic, staff may use heated blankets, increase the operating room temperature, or administer warmed intravenous fluids. If the patient is hyperthermic, the team may remove layers of dressings, lower the operating room temperature, or administer antipyretic medications.

Conclusion

Monitoring the patient's temperature is an essential part of perioperative care. Through careful monitoring and timely interventions, nursing staff can help ensure patient safety and well-being, minimize complications, and improve surgery outcomes.

In short, monitoring a patient's temperature during surgery is a crucial nursing responsibility in the operating room. This aspect of patient care requires a thorough understanding of physiology, the ability to use various temperature measurement techniques, and the ability to respond quickly and appropriately to any changes in the patient's temperature.