The parent of a 6-year-old calls the nurse and reports that the child was playing outside in the snow and the child's feet now appear red and swollen. What is the best response by the nurse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The clinical indications of a cold injury include redness and swelling of the skin (chilblains or pernio) and blanched skin with hardness of the affected area (frostbite). For any cold injury, it is important to re-warm the area as soon as possible to restore blood flow and reduce the risk of permanent tissue damage. The recommendation for re-warming is immersion of the affected area in warm water (104 F [40 C]) for about 30 minutes or until the area turns pink in cases of frostbite. The face and ears can be re-warmed with the application of warm facecloths (Option D). Once re-warming has been effective, the child should be seen by an HCP as soon as possible (Option A). (Option B) Giving the child something warm to drink is an appropriate intervention; however, re-warming the child's feet in warm water is the priority action. (Option C) Massaging a body part that has sustained a cold injury is contraindicated due to the risk of tissue injury. Educational objective: The most important treatment for suspected chilblains/pernio or frostbite is re-warming of the affected area by immersion in warm (104 F [40 C]) water. The individual can also be given a warm liquid to drink and should be seen by an HCP as soon as possible.

The Parent of a 6-Year-Old Calls the Nurse and Reports