Effects of two types of head coverings in the rewarming of patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
In this experimental study we examined the effects of two types of head coverings in the rewarming of patients who have had coronary artery bypass graft surgery during the initial 8-hour postoperative period. A third group with no head coverings served as a control. Eighty-one patients were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups; rectal temperatures were recorded on admission and hourly for the next 8 hours. An analysis of variance between the three groups revealed no statistically significant differences (p less than 0.05) in the length of time for patients to reach normothermia and in the net temperature gain achieved. Irrespective of the groupings, however, patients who took 5 hours or less to reach normothermia exhibited statistically significant differences (p less than 0.05) compared with patients who took longer: the former patients tended to be younger, the lowest induced operating room temperature tended to be higher, their admission temperatures tended to be higher, and minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass tended to be fewer.
Howell
R D
RD
Department of Nursing, Washington Hospital Center, Alexandria, VA.
MacRae
L D
LD
Sanjines
S
S
Burke
J
J
DeStefano
P
P
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001831:Body Temperature; D003020:Clothing; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing