A 15-year-old girl was taken to a small rural hospital by her mother.The family had been camping,and it had become very cold during the night.The mother had difficulty waking her daughter in the morning,and she was shivering uncontrollably.The patient is still unconscious.Which of the following interventions should the admitting nurse do first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The priority treatment for hypothermia is to prevent a further decrease in body temperature.Removing wet clothes,replacing them with dry ones,and wrapping the patient in blankets are strategic nursing interventions.In emergencies,when a patient is not in a health care setting,place the patient under blankets next to a warm person.A conscious patient benefits from drinking hot liquids such as soup,while avoiding alcohol and caffeinated fluids.An unconscious patient should not be given any fluids.Keeping the head covered,increasing room temperature,or placing heating pads next to areas of the body (head and neck)that lose heat the quickest helps.The severity of the hypothermia dictates the treatments performed.

A 15-Year-Old Girl Was Taken to a Small Rural Hospital