We're having a heat wave.....

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Okay, watching the news it seems like most of the US is having a heat wave, including us here in the Pacific NW come Friday!

Now, If your wards are like mine, all these ill patients like to have their rooms sooooo hot (especially geriatrics)...and frankly all that heat mounts up and it feels like working in a sauna!!!! We have even had brown or black outs because our A/C is on so hard and can't keep up!!!!

So I thought it would be a great reminder for us nurses to share ideas on how we keep hydrated and cool...and what we tell our patients and patient families on what to do in triple digit temps!

For me, I keep my water bottle handy and drink a bit every time I am in the nurses med room (where we have a fridge for our foods/drinks). My goal, although hard to achieve is to pee every 30 mins to an hour to ensure proper hydration. I use cold compresses on the back of my neck if hot during my break (cause I will sweat there). And I encourage others to do the same!

The CNA's are excellent about hydration of patients, and all of us try to keep water fresh with ice or for those that don't drink water...other alternatives! We also not only tell pts, but tell their families too..and encourage if they can to check on elderly neighbors to see if they are okay, or to make sure they are able to get to water and drink...

What do you guys do?

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I drive around in a car most of the day with the AC on full blast, but I know exactly where there is a patient in a LTC facility right now with the heat on. When I worked there, you would nearly pass out just stepping into her room. And in the middle of the summer when you would suggest maybe at least opening a window, you would catch it (and I'm sure other poor unsuspecting new employee souls will catch it, too)..."We old people get cold a lot easier than you younger people! How dare you expect me to expose myself to chill!!!"

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area of Texas. The average temperature for this time of year is usually about 95 degrees, but today the mercury reached 106 degrees. I was just watching the news a few minutes ago, and the meteorologist stated that this was the eighth day in a row that the outdoor temps have been greater than 100 degrees.

Currently my air conditioner is running on auto and set at 78 degrees.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Fortunately in hot muggy St. Petersburg where the "humiture" or the "feels like" temp is always over 100 for about six months we have awesome air conditioning everywhere. Without it we'd die. Our bodies are accustomed to the heat and have adjusted.

I feel for you in those climes where it's not the norm. Best wishes.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Triage is right.........it's supposed to be upwards of 106 degrees here on Saturday, which, as luck would have it, is the day of my assisted living community's anniversary "hoedown"---all of which is supposed to be OUTDOORS!!! Talk about your busman's holiday, I'm supposed to be there just for fun, and I'll probably end up treating a gazillion people for heat exhaustion and/or dehydration.:uhoh3:

Right now I'm working with our maintenance man to set up a 'mister' in the parking lot, which should help some, and with the kitchen to keep a supply of Popsicles (both regular and sugar-free) on hand for the residents and guests. We're having root beer floats, too. I just feel sorry for the square dancers and the people with the miniature horse carts and the fiddlers......we are not used to triple-digit temps, and even though I myself love the heat, I tend to lose my happy thoughts when it goes over the century mark.

Try to keep cool, everyone..........and if you're looking for me this weekend after the party, I'll be out in the pool!;)

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