Hypothermia, inside the unit, any ideas?

[Finallydidit]

45 yom, 400+ #s, admitted 13 yrs ago, w/ head injury d/t mva. paralized from waist down., stable condition, mentally challenged, but able to remember names, faces, etc. difficult to understand but can ask questions. VS tend to run on the low side of normal.

Go into shift yesterday, and CNA's tell me thay can't get a temp. on him but thermometer is working fine on everyone else. Go in pull off covers and Resident is cold to touch, His breath was even cold, BP is 88/52 pulse is 44, find another thermometer and get an aux of 88.7... SEND HIM OUT!!!

Got a call from hosp. admitted to ICU for profound hypothermia. Got a rectal temp of 90. said he has a UTI, which we were aware of and he was being treated with abt.

How does this happen any ideas? I have never seen anything like this and I am very curious, as is everyone else on my unit.

Now mind you, the Res never leaves the unit, let alone go outside, he also has a roommate who is fine.

So throw your ideas at me

Thanks so much

[Finallydidit]

Okay went to work this afternoon, and to my surprise He was back from the hospital and in his room a nice warm cozy 98 degree temp. From ICU with profound hypothermia, to back in the LTC with a UTI diagnosis in less then 24 hours... Blows my mind... orders said to keep his room about 80 degress for the next 48/hrs. 500mg levaquin po/7days. He does have altered mental status, and we are thinking stroke, but obviously the hospital didn't even want to look any further, but I am still very curious as to what happened. Don't get me wrong I am glad that he is back with us, and all but a 90 degree temp from a UTI that we knew he had and had be on abt for 4 days prior, just seems like there has to be something more....

Thanks for all the replies........

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Okay went to work this afternoon, and to my surprise He was back from the hospital and in his room a nice warm cozy 98 degree temp. From ICU with profound hypothermia, to back in the LTC with a UTI diagnosis in less then 24 hours... Blows my mind... orders said to keep his room about 80 degress for the next 48/hrs. 500mg levaquin po/7days. He does have altered mental status, and we are thinking stroke, but obviously the hospital didn't even want to look any further, but I am still very curious as to what happened. Don't get me wrong I am glad that he is back with us, and all but a 90 degree temp from a UTI that we knew he had and had be on abt for 4 days prior, just seems like there has to be something more....

Thanks for all the replies........

Good to know the outcome. This probably happened so quickly r/t to dysfunctional thermoregulatory state.

It can happen fast, it can happen slow.

The trick is avoiding it from happening again as much as possible.

[lutumba Malongo]

Hypothermia usually occurs from exposure to low temperatures however anything which decreases heat production, increases heat loss, or impairs thermoregulation can cause it.It is well recognized in major trauma.