Burns and Burn Injury Q 64

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Louie, with burns over 35% of the body, complains of chilling. In promoting the client’s comfort, the nurse should:

  

    A. Maintain room humidity below 40%

    B. Place top sheet on the client

    C. Limit the occurrence of drafts

    D. Keep room temperature at 80 degrees

    

    

Correct Answer: C. Limit the occurrence of drafts

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A client with burns is very sensitive to temperature changes because heat is lost in the burn areas. Changes in location, character, intensity of pain may indicate developing complications (limb ischemia) or herald improvement and/or return of nerve function and sensation.

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Option A: Maintain comfortable environmental temperature, provide heat lamps, heat-retaining body coverings. Temperature regulation may be lost with major burns. External heat sources may be necessary to prevent chilling.

Option B: Cover wounds as soon as possible unless open-air exposure burn care method is required. Temperature changes and air movement can cause great pain to exposed nerve endings.

Option D: The major burn patient needs a body temperature greater than 37 – 37.5ºC to reach 38.5ºC, to avoid critical temperature and decrease energy expenditure, controlling hypercatabolic state. The recommended ambient temperature in large burn units is between 28 and 33ºC.

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