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Improving perioperative temperature management through hypothermia risk assessment and education
Dissertation   Open access

Improving perioperative temperature management through hypothermia risk assessment and education

Whitley Kloeblen and Widline Michel
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
15 Mar 2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00011294
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Abstract

Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia Perioperative warming Preoperative risk assessment
Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH), defined as a core temperature below 36.0°C occurring from pre-induction through the postoperative period, remains a common and preventable complication of general anesthesia (GA). The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate whether implementing a preoperative hypothermia risk assessment tool titled IPH-Prevention Risk Assessment Tool (IPH-PRAT) with provider education would reduce IPH in adults undergoing GA. A comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed and gray literature identified consistent evidence that IPH is multifactorial, with key risk factors including advanced age, elevated ASA classification, low baseline temperature, prolonged surgery, and combined anesthetic techniques. Evidence supports the use of standardized risk assessment tools, education, and early active warming interventions to improve temperature management. During the quality improvement implementation, education was provided via a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation. A total of 29 pre-and post-education Provider Learning Evaluation (PLE) tools and 22 IPH-PRATs were completed by anesthesia providers. Post-intervention chart reviews demonstrated a decrease in intraoperative hypothermia from 3% to 2.9% during a 30-day period following the intervention, supporting the effectiveness of standardized risk assessment and education. Overall, 97% of providers demonstrated higher scores on the post-education assessment compared to their pre-education scores. These findings suggest that risk assessment and targeted education enhance evidence-based decision-making and promote adherence to warming protocols. Integration of standardized hypothermia risk screening into preoperative workflows can help to improve patient outcomes and reduce hypothermia-related complications. Keywords: inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, perioperative warming, preoperative risk assessment

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