TURN UP THE HEAT AVOIDING SURGICAL COMPLICATIONS WITH ADEQUATE PATIENT WARMING

Course overview

This course details the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) Measures, specifically SCIP-INF-10. Patients in the OR should be actively warmed while they are in procedure and the core bosy temperature must be (at least once) equal to or greater than 96.8. This course covers the causes and complications associated with perioperative hypotheremia and several recommendations on how to prevent it. There are several methods discussed, including warming IV fluids, warming deevices and blankets, forced air and increasing the temperature in the actual surgical theater.