Question

A nurse is caring for a client who is brought to the emergency department following an oil fire. Drag words from the choices below to fill in each blank in the following sentence.

During the emergent phase of burn care, the client is at risk for developing _______ and _______.

Answer 1

During the emergent phase of burn care, a client may experience dehydration and infection due to loss of fluids and compromised skin barriers. Elevated white blood cell counts (leukocytosis) are expected as they indicate the body's response to infection and stress.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the emergent phase of burn care, the client is at risk for developing dehydration and infection. Dehydration occurs because burns can cause a massive loss of fluids due to damage and death of skin cells. At the same time, the risk for infection is significantly heightened since the protective barrier of the skin is compromised, making it easier for bacteria and other pathogens to invade.

Leukocytosis is an expected finding in a burn patient because it is a common response to infection and stress in the body. An elevated white blood cell count indicates that the body is fighting an infection, such as the gangrenous inflammation and infection seen in the case study of a patient with a severe burn.