The nurse working in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) notes that a patient who has just been transported from the operating room is shivering and has a temperature of 96.5° F (35.8° C). Which action should the nurse take?
a. Cover the patient with a warm blanket and put on socks.
b. Notify the anesthesia care provider about the temperature.
c. Avoid the use of opioid analgesics until the patient is warmer.
d. Administer acetaminophen (Tylenol) 650 mg suppository rectally.
ANS: A
The patient assessment indicates the need for active rewarming. There is no indication of a need for acetaminophen. Opioid analgesics may help reduce shivering. Because hypothermia is common in the immediate postoperative period, there is no need to notify the anesthesia care provider, unless the patient continues to be hypothermic after active rewarming.
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