Chapter: 11th 12th std standard Class Nursing Health Care Hospital Hygiene Higher secondary school College Notes

Classification and Treatment of hypothermia

Heat loss during prolonged exposure to cold overwhelms the body ability to produce heat causing hypothermia. Hypothermia is classified as follows:

Hypothermia: Heat loss during prolonged exposure to cold overwhelms the body ability to produce heat causing hypothermia. Hypothermia is classified as follows:

Classification of hypothermia

Centigrade Fahrenheit

Mild 33 - 36� F 91.4� - 96.8�

Moderate 30 -33� 86.0� - 91. 4�

Severe 27 - 30� 80.6� - 86.0�

Profound < 30� < 80.6�

Frost bits occurs when the body is exposed to subnormal temperature. Ice crystals farming inside the cell result in permanent circulatory and tissue damage. Areas at risk for frost bite are the carlobes, tip of the nose and fingers and toes. The injured area is white, waxy and firm to touch.

Sites for assessing temperature

1. Oral

2. rectal

3. axillary

4. tympanic route

Nursing care of individual with altered body temperature Hyperthermia - Assessment

1. obtain all vital signs

2. observe skin color

observe for shivering are diaphoresis

Non - pharmacological therapy are methods that increase heat loss by evaporation, convection conduction or reduction.

Tepid sponge bathes

Bathing with alcohol - water solution

Cooling fans

Allow rest period

Limit physical activity

Reduce external covering on patient' s body to promote heat

loss through reduction and conduction.

Provide fluids (atleast 3 litres per day) to replace fluids loss.

Encourage oral hygiene because oral mucous membranes dry easily from dehydration.

Provide measures to stimulate appetite and offer well balanced meals.

Provide supplemental oxygen therapy as ordered to improve oxygen delivery to body cells.

Control environmental temperature without inducing

shivering. Eg. Cooling fans

Hypothermia

Prevention is the key for patient' s at risk for hypothermia and frostbite.

Educate patient who are at risk for hypothermia (Eg. the very young, the very old, persons debilitated by trauma, stroke, diabetes, drug or alcohol intoxication, sepsis, mentally ill, alcohol intoxication, malnutrition).

Treatment

Prevent a further decrease in body temperature.

Remove wet clothes, provide dry ones and wrap the client in blanket.

If the patient is conscious offer warm liquids such as milk or soups

Place the patient in a warm room

When the patient reaches emergency treatment, patients are closely monitored for cardiac irregularities and electrolyte imbalances.

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11th 12th std standard Class Nursing Health Care Hospital Hygiene Higher secondary school College Notes : Classification and Treatment of hypothermia |