Which describes the primary purpose of administering 100% oxygen to a patient with heatstroke?

Administering 0.4 mg epinephrine subcutaneously

Removing the stinger with tweezers may have caused additional venom to be released into the body. This would increase the severity of the reaction, as seen with the nausea, syncope, and breathing difficulties. Therefore the priority intervention would be to administer epinephrine to treat the reaction. Cool compresses, administering diphenhydramine, and elevating the arm are all appropriate treatments if the reaction is mild, that is, stinging, swelling, headache, and so forth.

Allergies to food
Medication history
Tetanus immunization

During the secondary survey, the nurse obtains details of the illness, length of time since the incident has occurred, treatment provided, the patient's response, and level of consciousness. The mnemonic AMPLE is a mnemonic that prompts the nurse to ask about A, allergies to drugs, food, latex, environment; M, medication history; P, past health history, tetanus, immunization; L, last meal; and E, events or environmental factors leading to the illness. The nurse checks vital signs and blood pressure at the start of the secondary survey prior to the assessment of health history.

The skin appears waxy pale yellow to blue.

In a localized cold injury like frostbite, the tissues freeze, resulting in the formation of ice crystals in the tissues and cells. If the frostbite is superficial in nature, then the skin is affected, making it appear waxy pale yellow to blue. The skin becomes discolored in irregular patches. The skin also feels crunchy and frozen to touch. The patient may complain of tingling, numbness, or a burning sensation. Heatstroke patients complain of hot, dry, and ashen skin. A patient with hypothermia shows pale and cyanotic skin. In a severe case of frostbite, the skin looks white, and is hard and insensitive to touch. The area has the appearance of deep thermal injury with mottling.

Mild hypothermia

Patients with mild hypothermia (93.2° to 96.8° F [34° to 36° C]) have shivering, lethargy, confusion, rational to irrational behavior, and minor heart rate changes. Patients with moderate hypothermia (86° to 93.2° F [30° to 34° C]) have rigidity, bradycardia, slowed respiratory rate, blood pressure obtainable only by Doppler, metabolic and respiratory acidosis, and hypovolemia. Patients with frostbite have skin that is white, hard, and insensitive to touch. The area has the appearance of deep thermal injury, with mottling gradually progressing to gangrene. The patients with hyperthermia have an increase in temperature.

Patient A

The presence of a sweet aromatic odor on the breath, respiratory depression, and lethargy indicate that patient A has ethylene glycol poisoning. Activated charcoal absorbs ethylene glycol and reduces the symptoms of poisoning. Patient B, with an almond odor to the breath, shows indications of cyanide poisoning. Chelation therapy with deferoxamine will alleviate the symptoms of iron toxicity, but not cyanide poisoning. Presence of hypotension, tachycardia, body temperature of 106° F (41.1° C), and heavy confusion indicate that patient C has heat stroke. Antipyretics reduce the body temperature in the patient with infection but not heat stroke. Patient D has a body temperature of 86° F (30° C) with dysrhythmias and cyanotic skin, which indicates that the patient has frostbite. Salt tablets help to reduce dehydration during heat stroke but may cause gastric irritation. However, salt tablets are not an effective treatment for frostbite.

Placing patient in a cool environment

Providing high-flow oxygen in a nonrebreather mask

Managing and maintaining airway, breathing, and circulation

Heat exhaustion usually occurs in individuals engaged in strenuous activity in hot, humid weather. It is characterized by fatigue, dehydration, and a mild to severe temperature elevation between 99.6° to 104° F. Initial intervention starts with the assessment of the airway, breathing, and circulation. The patient is placed in a cool area where rapid cooling measures are initiated. The nurse removes the patient's clothes, places a wet sheet over the patient, and places the patient in front of a fan. The patient is provided with high-flow oxygen in a nonrebreather mask. Salt tablets should not be used because of potential gastric irritation and hypernatremia. Moist sheets, rather than warm sheets, should be placed over the patient to decrease core temperature through evaporative heat loss.

Do you give oxygen for heat stroke?

Position an unconscious patient to side and clear the airway. Administer oxygen at 4L/min and give IV normal saline. The goals of these measures are immediate lowering of core temperature to <39.0°C and promote cooling by conduction and evaporation.

What is the most important initial treatment for a patient with heatstroke?

Cooling by evaporation is the most effective method in the field under normal conditions; patients with heatstroke should initially be treated with evaporative cooling. Community collaboration and intervention programs decrease morbidity and mortality associated with heat.

What is the management of heat stroke?

Immerse you in cold water. A bath of cold or ice water has been proved to be the most effective way of quickly lowering your core body temperature. The quicker you can receive cold water immersion, the less risk of death and organ damage. Use evaporation cooling techniques.

Which action by the emergency department nurse is the priority for a client with heat stroke?

Seek emergency medical care If you suspect heatstroke, call 911 or your local emergency number. Then move the person out of the heat right away.