Does Incentive Spirometer decrease a temp?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

Ive been taught that it does, but a doc told a patient that was hogwash. Ive been told by other docs to have patients do it for a temp. Ive seen it work (I think), not sure if it was the IS that did it. I know it is used to decrease risk for pneumonia, but temp? Does anyone know for sure? Thanks.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

No - it can't reduce a temp per se. However, it assists with breaking up atelectasis and thus might prevent pneumonia.

Here is some pt info:

http://uuhsc.utah.edu/pated/handouts/handout.cfm?id=1690

And a description of the why's behind use of IS:

http://www.rcjournal.com/online_resources/cpgs/ispircpg.html

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I agree it doesnt decrease the temperature. However, it does help dry up the atelectic secreations in the lungs that are causing the temp to go up. Using the incentive spirometer correctly will quickly open and dry up the lungs so there isnt anything for the bacteria/germs to grow in. Ive seen temps go down with consistent use over a period of a few hours given the temp hasnt reached over 100.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.
I agree it doesnt decrease the temperature. However, it does help dry up the atelectic secreations in the lungs that are causing the temp to go up. Using the incentive spirometer correctly will quickly open and dry up the lungs so there isnt anything for the bacteria/germs to grow in. Ive seen temps go down with consistent use over a period of a few hours given the temp hasnt reached over 100.
Ditto that.

And given that I work surgical - I/S is our first weapon of choice in keeping temps. down. At the first hint of a rising temp. I'm in there encouraging increased use of the I/S and almost always, I see the next temp. to be stable or lower. :)

"IS on the hour, every hour - while awake" ;)

cheers,

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This is so timely--yesterday I had a pt who's temp was slowly climbing and the doc ordered an incentive spirometer for it. (highest was 38.1 and 38.3 is reportable)

Later, I went to check pts temp and it was 38. I told her to take a few deep breaths and retook it---37.6! All temps were taken in her ear with the same thermometer.

When I first started in the summer, and had a pt who spiked to 38.3 I called the HO, she got abx etc. Another nurse said I should have just had her take some deep breaths and rechecked it. That's what I thought about when I did it with my patient last night.

So maybe no, it doesn't work on paper or scientfically...but anecdotally...well, yeah it seemed to work.

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Hello, I am a nursing student, completing the last few months of study. During my clinicals, I am amazed at how often I enter a pt. room and find the IS stuck on the window sill or on an out of the way shelf. I have made it a point to educate those pt. on the importance of exercising their lungs for prevention of pneumonia, etc, but was unaware of the benefits re: temperature reduction. It seems logical. Thanks for sharing info 'out of the box' rather textbook.

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I agree it doesnt decrease the temperature. However, it does help dry up the atelectic secreations in the lungs that are causing the temp to go up. Using the incentive spirometer correctly will quickly open and dry up the lungs so there isnt anything for the bacteria/germs to grow in. Ive seen temps go down with consistent use over a period of a few hours given the temp hasnt reached over 100.

So then....you DO agree it decreases the temp, actually. Obviously there's a method for it doing this, and you've explained it nicely :)

And like Roy said, on our med-surg unit, if there's a temp issue, the IS comes out first. And it absolutely works, IMO...I've seen Tylenol used in some patients, IS in others (first) and in all cases, the temp comes down with consistent use.

Now, GETTING the patients to stop whining about DOING it, and stop leaving them on the windowsills, that's another story! ;)

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.
Now, GETTING the patients to stop whining about DOING it, and stop leaving them on the windowsills, that's another story! ;)
I surprise myself (or maybe my patients surprise me!) but I've found that telling them to "think of it as a game" seems to work wonders most of the time! It used to work with me on peds - I had no idea the same tactic worked on adults!

Or maybe they're just humouring me :rolleyes: :D

But yes - prodding/coaxing by nurses is a MUST. I'd rather my patients think I'm a hard*** than spike temps and complicate things (and delay discharges! :eek: :nono: )

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I had outpatient surgery a few years ago and developed a temp of 104. I paged the surgeon like my post op instructions said to and he instructed me to do IS. It did decrease my temp. down to 100. So I guess I would say it did work for me. I didn't take any tylenol since I was taking pain meds from the surgery.

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

not sure about the science part but 17 yrs of nursing has taught me that it does bring down temps ;)

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Association causation fallacy:

Inaccurately linking cause and effect. The fact that one event follows another does not necessarily mean that the first event caused the second event.

I/S lowers a temperature in the exact same way that drinking Dr. Pepper cures a UTI. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

I found this website of a physician stating that the IS will decrease a temp. Im still researching to find more info. I think its an unlabelled use. Not sure of the mechanics behind it though. Thanks guys for your responses. And to the response of cause/effect- you have to look at the correlation values. If anyone finds any info, please let me know.

http://www.med.umich.edu/urology/patientinfo/PatientInfoPages/PatientInstructions/Ileovesicostomy.pdf

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