The Effect of Heating on Thermal Comfort and Anxiety

Overview

This study with a randomized, pretest - posttest controlled experimental design was conducted to determine the effects of active and passive heating methods applied in different parts of the perioperative process on thermal comfort, anxiety and vital signs. The study was conducted with the patients who were hospitalized for open abdominal surgical interventions in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, of Selcuk University Medical Faculty Hospital, between the dates of 1 October 2018 and 10 January 2019. The study included 99 patients in two control groups and one experimental group. The patients in group A were dressed with hot air blowing patients scrubs in both preoperative and postoperative periods, while patients in group B were dressed with hot air blowing patients scrubs only in the postoperative period. The control group continued routine practice. In the preoperative period, vital signs, thermal comfort, and anxiety levels of the patients were evaluated. In the intraoperative period, vital signs and thermal comfort levels of the patients were evaluated. Thermal comfort level of the patients was re-evaluated prior to the induction of anesthesia. Once the patients were transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit, among the vital signs of the patients, body temperature was measured in the temporal region, and other signs were measured using the monitors. Thermal comfort and anxiety levels of the patients were re-evaluated after they got dressed.

"Perioperative hypothermia," which is defined as a decrease below 36 °C in the body temperature 1 h prior to anesthesia and up to 24 h following anesthesia is a common problem in patients undergoing surgery. Perioperative hypothermia leads to many problems. Given the negative effects of increased anxiety and deterioration in thermal comfort due to perioperative hypothermia (such as decreased satisfaction and increased pain) hypothermia poses a problem that should be highlighted and prevented. It is also important for nurses to understand hypothermia and the complications associated with it and take effective measures. In the present randomized controlled trials, gowns blowing warm air; heated blankets, fabrics, and liquid; and self-heating blankets were used for increasing thermal comfort. No common heating technique or heating area was used in these studies In this context, the primary purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of active (gown blowing warm air) and passive (heated blanket) heating on thermal comfort and anxiety in preoperative and postoperative periods in patients scheduled for open abdominal surgery.