Abstract

The purpose of this study was to eventuate the effectiveness of two commonly used cooling measures for reducing fever due to infection. Seventeen infants and children age six months to three years with a rectal temperature of 102 degrees or over were selected.

The experimental method was the research approach used. The subjects were divided into two groups, A and B. The ten patients in Group A were sponged with water 75 degrees F. Each body part including the arms, chest and abdomen, legs, and back were covered by ten strokes, five up and five down. The patients were allowed to dry by evaporation. The seven patients in Group B were immersed in tubs of water 95 degrees F. which was gradually reduced to 75 degrees F., the patients remaining in the tubs for a total of twenty minutes. Immediately following the procedure, the patients were gently dried with a cotton bath blanket.

A rectal temperature was taken immediately before administration of the cooling measure and fifteen, thirty, forty-five, and sixty minutes following the procedures.

Analyses were made of the diagnosis, age, and body surface area of the patients. An analysis of the mean drop in temperature indicated that the temperature of patients immersed in cool water was lower for all time periods than was the temperature of patients who were sponged with cool water. The mean drop in temperature for patients who were sponged was the same fifteen and thirty minutes following the procedure, namely 0.6 degrees F. At the end of one hour the mean drop was 0.86 degrees F. The mean drop in temperature for patients who were immersed in cool water was lowest thirty minutes following the treatment and was 1.94 degrees F. at the end of one hour.

Because of the small number of subjects it was impossible to draw unqualified conclusions, but it would appear that immersion in a tub of water gradually lowered to cool water is more effective than sponging with cool water for reducing fever due to infections.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Winifred M. Edwards

Second Advisor

Betty J. Trubey

Third Advisor

Nord S. Nation

Fourth Advisor

Graciela E. Schaeffler

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1962

Date (Title Page)

6-1962

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Fever -- nursing; Hyperthermia, Induced -- in infancy & childhood

Type

Thesis

Page Count

vii; 46

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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