The effects of two warming methods on core and surface temperatures, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and perceived comfort of hypothermic postanesthesia patients.

An experimental study was conducted in two PACUs to test the effect of two warming methods on core and surface temperatures, oxygen hemoglobin saturation, blood pressure, and perceived comfort of hypothermic postanesthesia patients. The study was based by Selye's theory of stress, which states that when individuals are confronted with stressors, physiological adaptation occurs to maintain homeostasis. Subjects studied were 91 adult patients who were randomly assigned to two groups: group 1 patients were warmed with the Bair Hugger Warming System (Augustine Medical, Inc, Eden Prairie, MN), and group 2 patients were warmed with warmed bath blankets. Multiple analysis of variance with repeated measures demonstrated significant differences between the two groups on surface temperature, oxygen hemoglobin saturation, and perceived comfort. No significant differences were found between the two groups on core temperature and blood pressure. Implications for PACU nurses include an efficient, cost-saving method to promote patient adaptation to the stressors of inadvertent hypothermia. Further studies are needed to validate the findings from this study and to test nurses' responses to the Bair Hugger Warming System.