Sample interview questions: How do you handle patients who require intraoperative temperature management?
Sample answer:
Intraoperative Temperature Management
Assessment and Monitoring:
- Monitor core temperature using a specific temperature probe placed at an appropriate site (e.g., esophagus, nasopharynx).
- Assess for signs and symptoms of hypothermia (shivering, pallor, hypotension) or hyperthermia (tachycardia, diaphoresis, agitation).
Warming Strategies:
- Active warming devices: Forced-air warming blankets, fluid warmers, patient-controlled analgesia infusion pumps with warming capabilities.
- Passive warming measures: Warm IV fluids, warming pads, blankets.
Cooling Strategies:
- Evaporative cooling: Iced saline solution applied to the patient’s skin.
- Circulating water blankets: Chilled water pumped through a blanket placed on the patient.
- Intravenous fluid cooling: Cold IV fluids infused rapidly or through a cooling coil.
Techniques:
- Normothermia: Maintain core temperature between 36-38°C (96.8-100.4°F) to minimize the risk of complications.
- Mild hypothermia: Induce mild hypothermia (32-34°C; 89.6-93.2°F) to reduce oxygen demand and preserve cerebral function.
- Moderate hypothermia: Cool patients to 24-28°C (75.2-82.4°F) for comp… Read full answer
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