OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the body temperature of patients during the intraoperative period. METHODS: The sample consisted of 70 patients undergoing elective surgery. An instrument with established face and content validity was used to collect the data. The variables consisted of operation room temperature and humidity and patient's body temperature at different time points during the intraoperative period. RESULTS: The mean temperature of the operation room when the patients were transferred to the surgical table and at the fourth hour of the surgical procedure were 24.6º C and 22.4ºC, respectively. At the end of the surgery the patients' mean body temperature was 33.6º C. There were statistically significant positive correlations among the variables measured. CONCLUSION: The results indicated the need for implementation of effective interventions to prevent hypothermia during the intraoperative period. Nursing interventions are crucial to improve the delivery of quality care to surgical patients.
Hypothermia; Perioperative nursing; Intraoperative period
