Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) is a clinical phenomenon in which patient’s core body temperature is below 36℃ due to non-medical purposes during the perioperative period. Children are more s usceptible to hypothermia due to their significantly higher surface area-to-...

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Main Authors: Lei Yang, Wenjuan Tang, Qingqing Du, Yingmin Liu, Zhen Wang, Xia Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05920-1
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author Lei Yang
Wenjuan Tang
Qingqing Du
Yingmin Liu
Zhen Wang
Xia Yang
author_facet Lei Yang
Wenjuan Tang
Qingqing Du
Yingmin Liu
Zhen Wang
Xia Yang
author_sort Lei Yang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) is a clinical phenomenon in which patient’s core body temperature is below 36℃ due to non-medical purposes during the perioperative period. Children are more s usceptible to hypothermia due to their significantly higher surface area-to-body weight ratio compared to adults, the immaturity of their thermoregulatory centers, and the thinness of their subcutaneous fat insulation layer. Perioperative nursing is an essential component of the multiprofessional management of surgical patients. Since nurses are the primary caregivers and monitors of patients during perioperative process, a better understanding of nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding IPH prevention is critical to improving patient outcomes. Consequently, a multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the current situation of anesthesia and operating room nurses in China, as well as the prevention of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and its influencing factors. Methods In this study, 292 nurses from 7 children’s specialized hospitals in 4 provinces (Hunan, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Shanghai) in the southern, northern, and central regions of mainland China participated in two-stage purposive and convenience mixed sample technique. General demographic information questionnaire, the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors questionnaire, and the self-efficacy scale were used for data collection. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results The results indicated that mean (SD) score of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors scales were 15.59 (3.28), 47.02 (8.05), and 52.48 (6.35), respectively. Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that educational level (t = 2.278, P < 0.05), No. of IPH training (t = 3.408, P < 0.01) and whether there was a perioperative insulation process (t=-3.091, P < 0.01) were risk factors for knowledge; No. of IPH training (t = 3.175 P < 0.01) was risk factor for attitudes; No. of IPH training (t = 2.476, P < 0.05), whether there was a perioperative insulation process (t=-6.612, P < 0.01) and self-efficacy (t = 2.851, P < 0.01) were risk factors for behaviors. Correlation analysis displayed self-efficacy was positively related to knowledge (r = 0.137, P < 0.05), attitudes (r = 0.115, P < 0.05), and behaviors (r = 0.258, P < 0.01); knowledge was also positively correlated with attitudes (r = 0.262, P < 0.01) and behaviors (r = 0.322, P < 0.01); attitudes were positively related to behaviors (r = 0.153, P < 0.01). Conclusions To improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of IPH prevention among operating room nurses and anesthesia nurses in children’s specialized hospitals, nursing managers should increase the frequency of IPH training and develop standardized perioperative insulation process. Nurses should also enhance their theoretical knowledge learning, improve educational level and self-efficacy.
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spelling doaj-art-1c3fd6ef108d47e880a68fdd89dd4e942025-08-20T03:42:03ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312025-08-0125111410.1186/s12887-025-05920-1Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional studyLei Yang0Wenjuan Tang1Qingqing Du2Yingmin Liu3Zhen Wang4Xia Yang5Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Childrens’ Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Nursing, Shanghai Childrens’ Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Operating room, Shanghai Childrens’ Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Operating room, Shanghai Childrens’ Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Operating room, Shanghai Childrens’ Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Operating room, Shanghai Childrens’ Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAbstract Background Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) is a clinical phenomenon in which patient’s core body temperature is below 36℃ due to non-medical purposes during the perioperative period. Children are more s usceptible to hypothermia due to their significantly higher surface area-to-body weight ratio compared to adults, the immaturity of their thermoregulatory centers, and the thinness of their subcutaneous fat insulation layer. Perioperative nursing is an essential component of the multiprofessional management of surgical patients. Since nurses are the primary caregivers and monitors of patients during perioperative process, a better understanding of nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding IPH prevention is critical to improving patient outcomes. Consequently, a multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the current situation of anesthesia and operating room nurses in China, as well as the prevention of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and its influencing factors. Methods In this study, 292 nurses from 7 children’s specialized hospitals in 4 provinces (Hunan, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Shanghai) in the southern, northern, and central regions of mainland China participated in two-stage purposive and convenience mixed sample technique. General demographic information questionnaire, the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors questionnaire, and the self-efficacy scale were used for data collection. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results The results indicated that mean (SD) score of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors scales were 15.59 (3.28), 47.02 (8.05), and 52.48 (6.35), respectively. Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that educational level (t = 2.278, P < 0.05), No. of IPH training (t = 3.408, P < 0.01) and whether there was a perioperative insulation process (t=-3.091, P < 0.01) were risk factors for knowledge; No. of IPH training (t = 3.175 P < 0.01) was risk factor for attitudes; No. of IPH training (t = 2.476, P < 0.05), whether there was a perioperative insulation process (t=-6.612, P < 0.01) and self-efficacy (t = 2.851, P < 0.01) were risk factors for behaviors. Correlation analysis displayed self-efficacy was positively related to knowledge (r = 0.137, P < 0.05), attitudes (r = 0.115, P < 0.05), and behaviors (r = 0.258, P < 0.01); knowledge was also positively correlated with attitudes (r = 0.262, P < 0.01) and behaviors (r = 0.322, P < 0.01); attitudes were positively related to behaviors (r = 0.153, P < 0.01). Conclusions To improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of IPH prevention among operating room nurses and anesthesia nurses in children’s specialized hospitals, nursing managers should increase the frequency of IPH training and develop standardized perioperative insulation process. Nurses should also enhance their theoretical knowledge learning, improve educational level and self-efficacy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05920-1NurseKnowledge, attitudes, and behaviorsInadvertent perioperative hypothermiaInfluencing factorsMulticenter cross-sectional study
spellingShingle Lei Yang
Wenjuan Tang
Qingqing Du
Yingmin Liu
Zhen Wang
Xia Yang
Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study
BMC Pediatrics
Nurse
Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia
Influencing factors
Multicenter cross-sectional study
title Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study
title_full Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study
title_short Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in China: a multicenter, cross-sectional study
title_sort nurses knowledge attitudes and behaviors of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia prevention in china a multicenter cross sectional study
topic Nurse
Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia
Influencing factors
Multicenter cross-sectional study
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05920-1
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