A nurse at an urgent care center is assisting with the care of a client who has hypothermia after exposure to frigid water. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Apply a heating pad to the client's neck.
Provide the client with dry clothing.
Offer the client a warm beverage.
Wrap the client in warm blankets.
The Correct Answer is B
A. Apply a heating pad to the client's neck: Direct application of heat to the skin, especially in localized areas like the neck, can cause rapid vasodilation, leading to a dangerous drop in blood pressure and potential cardiac complications. It also increases the risk of burns on cold-numbed skin.
B. Provide the client with dry clothing: Removing wet clothing and replacing it with dry garments is the first priority in managing hypothermia. Wet clothes accelerate heat loss through conduction and evaporation. Stopping further heat loss is essential before attempting active rewarming.
C. Offer the client a warm beverage: While offering warm fluids can help increase core temperature and provide comfort, it is not the first priority. This intervention is more appropriate after ensuring the client is dry and wrapped in warm coverings.
D. Wrap the client in warm blankets: Wrapping the client in warm blankets is a critical intervention for passive external rewarming. However, it comes after the initial step of removing wet clothes to prevent ongoing heat loss. Blankets are most effective once the source of heat loss has been eliminated.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. The grounding pad is positioned near the client's surgical site: The grounding pad for electrosurgery should be placed on a large, well-vascularized muscle mass away from the surgical site to ensure proper dispersion of electrical current and prevent burns. Placing it near the site increases risk of injury.
B. The client is positioned to minimize pressure on the skin: Proper positioning during surgery helps prevent pressure ulcers and nerve injuries by reducing prolonged pressure on bony prominences and delicate tissues, supporting a safe and therapeutic environment.
C. The client is covered with a cooling blanket during surgery: Maintaining normothermia is critical; cooling blankets can cause hypothermia, which increases the risk of complications such as infection and coagulopathy. Warm blankets or forced-air warming devices are preferred.
D. The client's surgical site is shaved with a razor: Shaving with a razor can cause microabrasions that increase the risk of surgical site infections. Clipping hair with electric clippers is the recommended practice to reduce infection risk.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Goggles: Goggles protect the eyes from splashes and should be removed after gloves and gown, once the risk of contamination is lower. Removing them too early can increase the risk of contamination if hands are still contaminated.
B. Gloves: Gloves are the most contaminated item after wound care and should be removed first to prevent spreading microorganisms to other personal protective equipment or the nurse’s skin. Proper glove removal technique reduces the risk of self-contamination.
C. Mask: Masks protect the respiratory tract and are typically removed last, after gloves, gown, and goggles, to maintain protection as long as possible. Removing the mask too early can expose the nurse to airborne particles.
D. Gown: The gown is removed after gloves because it is also contaminated but less so than gloves. Removing gloves first minimizes transferring contaminants from the gloves to the gown or other surfaces during removal.
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