A patient was received in the CCU following open heart surgery. Upon assessment the nurse notes the patient's temperature is 102ºF (38.8ºC). The nurse notifies the physician because elevated temperature:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should notify the physician because elevated temperature increases the cardiac output. Increase in temperature indicates increased metabolism and cardiac workload. An elevated temperature is not an early sign for cerebral edema. Fever is unrelated to hemorrhage; in hemorrhage with shock, the temperature actually decreases.

A Patient Was Received in the CCU Following Open Heart