Question

A nurse in an ED is caring for a client who has heat stroke. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to treat this form of hyperthermia?

A. Apply ice packs to the clients axillae, neck, groin and chest
B. Administer aspirin to the client
C. Initially offer the client cool, oral fluids
D. Continue cooling measures until the clients rectal temp is 99

Answer 1

To treat heat stroke, a nurse should apply ice packs to the patient's axillae, neck, groin, and chest. Aspirin should not be administered, and caution with oral fluids is advised to avoid complications. Cooling measures should continue until the core temperature is around 38°C to prevent hypothermia.

Step-by-step explanation:

To treat heat stroke, which is a form of hyperthermia, a nurse in the emergency department should take several critical steps. One of the primary methods is rapid cooling of the patient. This involves applying ice packs to the client's axillae, neck, groin, and chest, which are areas where large blood vessels are close to the skin surface, thereby facilitating the lowering of the core temperature.

Aspirin and other antipyretics are generally not recommended as they do not work in heat stroke cases and may add to complications. Provision of cool oral fluids may lead to vomiting if the patient is not fully conscious or has impaired swallowing, which can further complicate the condition.

Thus, it should be avoided or approached with caution. Finally, cooling measures should be carefully monitored, and most protocols recommend stopping active cooling once the patient's core temperature reaches 38-38.5°C (100.4-101.3°F) to avoid the risk of inducing hypothermia when considering continued cooling until the client's rectal temperature is 99°F is excessive and unnecessary.