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Patient warming: why hundreds of nurses have pledged to warm.

improving the patient experience

Scary, vulnerable, cold: this is how our patients can feel throughout the surgical journey.

Patient warming is one of the easiest ways to help improve the patient experience. And yet many of us don’t do it consistently.

We wanted to change that.

At the 2017 Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC) Conference, we invited hundreds of operating room nurses to experience a surgical journey the way their patients do.

The result: more than 300 operating room nurses pledged to practice patient warming – for every patient, every time. Will you join them?

The impact of patient warming

Most patients experience anxiety before surgery. They worry about their health, and potential complications. Then they’re asked to be vulnerable and surrender their trust to a group of strangers – all while wearing an exposing hospital gown.

As nurses, we feel it’s our job to advocate for the patient experience. We are an important part of the surgical team, including helping to ensure that patients are reassured and kept comfortable throughout their journey.

Patient warming should always be part of this process. Not only can patient warming provide comfort and reassurance, it also can help reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs) post-operation1.

The patient experience – from a patient’s point of view

At the 2017 ORNAC Conference, the 3M team created an experience that simulates part of the patient’s surgical journey. We invited hundreds of operating nurses from across Canada to try it firsthand.

patient warming

Each nurse relived a real patient experience with Garry Laxdal, a cancer survivor from Calgary. They heard his fears and apprehensions leading up to his procedure. They donned a warming gown just like he did, and experienced the contrast between chill of the OR suite and the warmth of the 3M™ Bair Hugger™ Patient Warming Unit.

The impact was enormous. Nearly every nurse that came through our experience pledged to practice patient warming going forward.

comfort care

References:

  1. 3M data on file

 

About the Author

[enBio=Paula joined 3M in 2008, bringing over 12 years of perioperative experience to the team. Never wanting to lose sight of the needs for patients and clinicians, Paula has maintained a causal position as a perioperative nurse. Leveraging her evidence-based knowledge and clinical expertise, Paula is a leader in her field, promoting patient safety and innovations to help improve surgical outcomes. ],[enJob=Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist, Infection Prevention Division, 3M Canada],[frBio=Paula s'est jointe à 3M en 2008, mettant à profit plus de 12 années d'expérience en soins périopératoires au sein de l'équipe. Ne voulant jamais perdre de vue les besoins des patients et des cliniciens, Paula a maintenu une position de causalité à titre d’infirmière en soins périopératoires. En tirant profit de ses connaissances fondées sur des données probantes et de son expertise clinique, Paula est un chef de file dans son domaine, faisant la promotion de la sécurité des patients et des innovations visant à contribuer à améliorer les résultats chirurgicaux.],[frJob=Infirmière spécialiste clinique en soins périopératoires, Division des solutions pour la prévention des infections, Compagnie 3M Canada]

Profile Photo of Paula Mendes-Baldinelli