Cold closet temperature analysis of air-cooled refrigerator in a ward of a ClassIII Grade A hospital

Abstract

Objective To monitor and analyze the temperature of different positions in the cold closet of an air-cooled refrigerator in a Class Ⅲ Grade A hospital, and provide guidance for nurses in the ward to use air-cooled refrigerators properly. Methods Totally 3 air-cooled refrigerators from a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital in Zhejiang Province were selected by convenient sampling during June to July 2017. Temperature of 23 different positions from 3 compartments of the cold closet of each refrigerator were monitored, compared, and analyzed, covering the front, back, left, right, middle, storage box, air supply outlet, return air inlet, panel, and real-time temperature meter of the refrigerator, etc. Results (1) The temperature of the front, back, left and right compartment of the air-cooled refrigerator was compared, temperature of the left and right of the middle and lower compartment was compared, temperature of the front and the back of the upper compartment was compared, all difference of the above showed no statistical significance (P>0.05) . The difference between the front and the back of the middle and lower compartment showed statistical significance (P<0.01) . (2) The difference between the refrigerator door and the monitoring point in the middle of the refrigerator was statistically significant (P<0.01) . (3) The temperature difference between the air supply outlet and the return air inlet was statistically significant (P<0.01) . (4) The real-time temperature detected in the refrigerator box was statistically different from the temperature detected in the middle of the refrigerator body (P<0.01) . Conclusions Nurses should master the cold closet temperature features of air-cooled refrigerators, the temperature difference between different spatial positions, and the time difference of temperature changes after temperature modification and use the refrigerators correctly, so as to meet the temperature requirements for medicine storage in the wards. Key words: Nurses; Air-cooled refrigerator; Medicine refrigeration; Cold closet temperature analysis of refrigerator; Direct cooling refrigerator