CPAN Practice Exam – Comprehensive Guide for Exam Prep

Monitoring patient temperature in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is essential primarily to identify any deviations from the normal temperature range, such as hypothermia or fever. Hypothermia can occur due to prolonged exposure to cool environments during surgery or the effects of anesthetic agents, and it can lead to significant complications, including increased risk of cardiac events, impaired wound healing, and delayed recovery from anesthesia. Similarly, an elevated temperature can be an early sign of infection or other complications that need to be addressed promptly.

While ensuring patient comfort is important, temperature regulation is not solely about comfort; it serves as a critical indicator of the patient’s physiological status post-surgery. Monitoring temperature is not directly related to regulating fluid intake or preparing for discharge, although these factors can influence overall patient recovery. The primary focus of temperature monitoring in the PACU is to ensure patient safety and facilitate timely interventions if abnormalities are detected.