Date of Award

Fall 12-9-2021

Degree Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Chair

Dr. Mary Jane Collins

Committee Chair School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Member 2

Dr. Stephanie Parks

Committee Member 2 School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Abstract

The lack of preoperative warming has a direct relationship to perioperative hypothermia complications which include, but are not limited to: increased infection rate, coagulopathies, and increased myocardial oxygen consumption; all contributing to poor patient and facility outcomes. Implementation of an evidence-based educational module with visual aid can potentially increase the utilization of active warming techniques in the preoperative setting by perioperative staff. The DNP Project investigated barriers to preoperative warming by perioperative staff at a large teaching hospital in the southeastern United States. Barriers were assessed by a voluntary survey sent to 87 perioperative staff members. Twenty-two surveys were completed and analyzed. The survey results concluded that while the facility does provide access to preoperative warming capabilities, time constraint appears to be the most common barrier. An educational module based on evidence-based practice and peer-reviewed literature was provided to the perioperative staff along with a visual aid to potentially increase the utilization of preoperative warming techniques. The visual aid will not only provide a time-efficient option but will potentially serve as a reinforcement of the evidence-based educational module.

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