PURPOSE: To determine the impact of transport from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) to inpatient nursing units on postsurgical patient temperature.

DESIGN: Exploratory correlational study.

METHODS: PACU discharge oral temperatures of postsurgical adult patients were compared with oral temperature at unit transfer.

FINDINGS: Temperatures on PACU discharge ranged from 97.3°F to 100.0°F (mean [M], 98.1 [0.5]), whereas those on unit arrival ranged from 97.3°F to 99.8°F (M, 98.0 [0.5]). Temperature differences between arrival and discharge ranged from -1.5°F to 0.9°F (M, -0.05 [0.34]); most showed decreases (n = 49; 52.7%). Correlations between temperature change and other variables (transport time, age, and gender) were less than 0.10 and nonsignificant.

CONCLUSIONS: Transfers from the PACU to other hospital units may not clinically impact oral temperatures in postsurgical patients. However, post-transfer temperature should be monitored to assure that hypothermia does not occur.