The patient complains of a slight burning-like pain and numbness on the skin under a cold compress.Which action should the nurse take immediately?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Although sensation in the affected region changes during cold therapy,the nurse should first remove the compress and assess the area in response to the patient complaint.The patient will first sensation feel cold,followed by analgesia,burning skin pain,and numbness.Tingling is often associated with numbness as an indication of nerve impairment; thus the nurse assesses the patient before continuing therapy.The patient's skin potentially benefits from passive rewarming and another nursing assessment to rule out tissue damage.Numbness in the affected region is associated with an increased risk of adverse effects from cold therapy.The nurse wants the patient to feel the cold and analgesic phases of cold therapy sensations.He or she assesses the tissue before discontinuing the cold therapy.Providing a blanket is a reasonable intervention as cold therapy begins to prevent shivering.However,although shivering consumes massive amounts of oxygen,the blanket is unlikely to affect the sensation of tissue treated with cold therapy.

The Patient Complains of a Slight Burning-Like Pain and Numbness