Unplanned hypothermia remains a significant concern for patients undergoing surgery. The updated AORN Guidelines for Prevention of Unplanned Patient Hypothermia identifies “considerations for selecting a warming method which include: planned procedure, patient positioning and warming equipment constraints that could limit access to the surgical site and/or skin surface area contact.” Furthermore, “the collective evidence suggests that using a combination of methods for patient warming may be the most effective approach.”
The Thermoflect Heat Reflective Technology Recommended Practice Program has earned the AORN Seal of Recognition for the third consecutive year. It is essential to evaluate each patient and determine an individual care plan for attaining and maintaining normothermia before, during and after surgery. This program is part of an Evidence-Based Outcome Evaluation (EBOE) process to simplify patient warming and help ensure each patient receives the best method, or combination of methods, based on their individual needs.
Thermoflect Heat Reflective Technology banks the patient’s radiant heat by capturing and reflecting it back to the cutaneous layer (skin) as well as preventing convective heat loss (windchill). Patients are covered with Thermoflect products preoperatively to pre-warm the skin and continue with the patient throughout the surgical process to maintain normothermia. Thermoflect products are easily integrated into to a facility’s warming protocol, using no wires or external heat source, just proven reflective warming that works immediately for the patient. Thermoflect Heat Reflective Technology products are cost-effective and available in a wide range of products, including blankets, caps, patient gowns, pediatric products and staff apparel.
Thermoflect Heat Reflective Technology patient warming products are available from Encompass Group LLC. For information, visit www.thermoflect.com or call 800-826-4490. Samples and photos are available by request.
For the fourth consecutive year, PerfectCLEAN Operating Room Processing & Checklist System developed by UMF Corp. received the AORN Seal of Recognition.
For the PerfectCLEAN OR Processing & Checklist System, the AORN Seal of Recognition confirms that the content of the program has undergone thorough review by AORN and meets the guidelines of the “AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice.” While not an endorsement, the Seal of Recognition is confirmation that the PerfectCLEAN Operating Room education materials meet AORN’s guidelines for excellence in providing a safe patient environment.
The specific components of PerfectCLEAN program that have been recognized by AORN are the “PerfectCLEAN Hygiene Specialist OR/ASC Handbook,” and a series of checklists – “Terminal OR Cleaning Checklist,” “Between Procedure OR Cleaning Checklist,” “24-Hour Idle OR Cleaning Checklist,” and “OR Pre-First Procedure Checklist.”
