Context: During surgery, many patients become hypothermic. Health complications resulting from hypothermia lead to longer hospital stays and increased healthcare costs. Objective: To identify in empirical research results the active warming systems that proved to be most effective in the pre and intraoperative periods to prevent perioperative hypothermia. Methodology: The search was performed using the following keywords: Hypothermia, perioperative nursing, anaesthesia and rewarming. Publications from the last five years (2007-2012), with full text, and written in English, Spanish or Portuguese were included. Articles on pregnant women, neurocritical patients, induced hypothermia and the variables affecting hypothermia were excluded. Results: A total of 30 articles were obtained, seven of which were selected for analysis. Conclusion: Active warming methods are effective measures for the prevention of hypothermia; the combination of warming methods is more effective than an isolated use; and, finally, the forced-air system and circulating water garments proved to be the most effective active warming methods.
The purpose of this study is to help improve nursing care to dependent people and their families. The study objectives were: to describe the degree of dependency of the elderly in the family context; to identify the sociodemographic characteristics of the dependent elderly in the family context; to describe the main cause of dependency in the aged at home. This is a exploratory, descriptive study with a quantitative approach. In the period comprised between October 2007 and June 2008, 108 families from a northern region of Portugal were selected, with an elderly dependent. It was a convenience sample. For the collection of information, we used a questionnaire with the Barthel Index. Results showed that older people are predominantly women, widows, in average 81 years old, with severe level of dependence, and the leading cause of dependence was circulatory system diseases.
The development of new management solutions is needed to generate great changes in the health sector, especially in addressing the current collision course between growing health care demands, rising costs, and limited resources. One of these solutions is the hospital at home (HAH). This article aims to explore the existing literature, regarding possible health gains and economical outcomes in HAH programs versus traditional inpatient hospitalization. A search of literature was conducted to identify papers regarding HAH programs and their respective health and economical outcomes. The concept of HAH encompasses different levels or care schemes. Several examinations and treatments can be carried out at home. Hospital at home may optimize patient flow and relieve pressure on hospital bed availability. However, questions are raised regarding the uncertainty of the efficacy of HAH and the limited evidence on which model setting is most appropriate.
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