Final answer:
The nurse would suspect hyperthermia when the patient has red, sweaty skin, a sign of the body's efforts to cool down by dilating blood vessels and increasing sweat production. Other listed symptoms like slow capillary refill, low pulse rate, and decreased respirations, although concerning, are not typical indicators of hyperthermia. The correct option is B .
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse admitting a patient to the emergency department on a very hot summer day would suspect hyperthermia when the patient demonstrates red, sweaty skin. Hyperthermia is a condition characterized by an elevated body temperature, which oftentimes results in physiological changes to help dissipate excess heat. In the context of a hot environment, the body employs various mechanisms to cool down, which include dilation of blood vessels and an increase in sweat production.
When a person is suffering from hyperthermia, their body attempts to cool itself down. This involves blood vessels in the skin dilating, allowing more blood from the body core to flow to the surface of the skin, thus permitting heat to radiate into the environment. The increased blood flow to the skin activates sweat glands, which leads to sweating. As the sweat evaporates from the skin surface into the surrounding air, it carries heat away from the body. Red, sweaty skin is a common sign of the body's efforts to reduce temperature and is a key indicator for the nurse to suspect hyperthermia.
In contrast, a slow capillary refill, low pulse rate, and decreased respirations are not typical signs of hyperthermia. These signs can indicate other medical conditions that warrant a different approach to treatment. Understanding these physiological responses is crucial for nurses and other healthcare professionals when assessing and treating patients with abnormal body temperatures.