Risk factors of post-operative hypothermia

Abstract

The core body temperature less than 36ºC or 96.8ºF at the post operative period, is called hypothermia. In the postoperative phase, there are various reasons are developing the hypothermia. This may include surgical site infections, blood transfusions during or after surgery, recovery room or Intensive care unit stay etc. this factors may be modifiable through the nursing practice. Objective: objective of this study was to identify the risk factors of post operative hypothermia. Method: a hospital based case-control study was undertaken. All the postoperative patients (N=250) that underwent anaesthesia were included. The body temperature was measured after immediately after surgery at the arrival of recovery room in post operative period. Analysis was done using the software SPSS version 20.00. Results: the incidence of post operative hypothermia immediately at recovery room was 185 (74%) were having hypothermia and 65 (26%) were having no hypothermia. ‘t’ value of Duration of surgery was 0.816 and ‘p’ value was 0.015, ‘t’ value of Duration of anaesthesia was 0.758 and ‘p’ value was 0.007, ‘t’ value of Post operative room temperature was -2.489 and ‘p’ value was 0.00, Chi-square value of Magnitude of procedure was 32.674 and ‘p’ value was 0.01.