1Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital 2Department of Nursing, Ewha Womans University
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affect body temperature in elderly operation patients using a warming method and to examine differences in post operative body temperature by characteristics of the patients. Methods: Data were collected from 200 patients, aged 65 years or more undergoing surgery with a warming method. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test and multiple regression with the SPSS 18.0 Program. Results: The mean score for body temperature of elderly operation patients using a warming method after surgery was $36.1{pm}0.6^{circ}C$ including 74 patients with hypothermia and 126 patients with normal body temperature. The body temperature according to general characteristics differed by age and whether the surgery was emergency surgery or not. The body temperature according to surgery-related factors differed by anesthesia type, length of operation, anesthesia time, magnitude of surgical procedure, amount of fluid, transfusion requirements, and preoperative body temperature. Factors influencing body temperature were age, BMI, transfusion requirements and preoperative body temperature. Conclusion: The results indicate that age, BMI, transfusion requirements and preoperative body temperature significantly influenced on body temperature after surgery. Thus preoperative body temperature needs to be maintained through pre-warming as a nursing intervention.
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