Temperature--the forgotten vital sign.
OBJECTIVE
To improve the measurement of core body temperature in the resuscitation room.


METHODS
This work was undertaken in the Emergency Department (ED) of a large District General Hospital. The clinical notes for all admissions to the resuscitation suite during a 2 month period were reviewed to establish the frequency of temperature measurement. Following a simple educational program, performance was re-audited using the same methodology.


RESULTS
Of the first cohort 13.4% had had their temperature recorded. This improved to 71.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of body temperature in the resuscitation room is important as hypothermia has profound effects on the cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological and haemostatic systems. Clinical audit highlights poor current performance and enables improvement of practice through simple education.
Smith
Jason J
JJ
TORC Laboratory, Department of Histopathology, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK. Jason.smith@porthosp.nhs.uk
Bland
Steven A
SA
Mullett
Simon
S
D001831:Body Temperature; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000451:nursing; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000592:standards*; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000451:nursing; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017749:Total Quality Management; D006113:United Kingdom