Turning patients while cooling

[maloneys]

I used to work for a trauma hospital, and we often had neurotraumas that we kept hypothermic. Assuming they were stable enough, we turned q2h. Now I work in a diff. peripheral hosp. We accepted a post arrest pt and we're cooling her. Nurses say not to turn hypothermic pts as it can cause fatal cardiac arrythmias. Pt is stable. No drip, except Versed. Does this make sense??

[Kitesurfing bum]

In addition, we do serial chemistrys every 4 to 6 hours depending on the physician to monitor electrolytes, especially potassium because cooling the body and rewarming causes a potassium shift into the cells and then back into the bloodstream respectively.

We cooled a pt the other day, pt's K was 1.7. Verified multiple times. Down from 3.8ish 4 hours earlier when admitted. Endotool was throwing in 30-50U insulin/hr which of course didn't help. Made for a very cautious rewarming. Very interesting physiology.

[MaMaMia1016]

in my hospital a pt is Paralyzed with nimbex(we do train of 4 hourly), and sedated with propofol and fentanyl during a hypothermia code theyre also on buspar and tylenol to reduce the chance of shivering which would generate heat.... pt is 1:1... They need central line and arterial line as we're drawing abg's q2 and labs q4 .. they also are on 24 hour continous eeg as theyre at increased risk for seizure activity.