The nurse is caring for a client with 40% full thickness burned total body surface area (TBSA) in the Emergency Department. The nurse is awaiting transfer to a regional burn center within 20 minutes. What is the most appropriate initial wound care management while awaiting transfer?
Gently cleanse the wounds with warm soapy water
Remove blistered skin and cover with a dry dressing
Apply saline soaked wet-to-dry dressings
Cover with a clean dry sheet to prevent hypothermia
The Correct Answer is D
A. Gently cleanse the wounds with warm soapy water
Initial burn care focuses on preventing hypothermia and infection. Cleaning is usually performed in a controlled setting like a burn unit, not in the emergency phase.
B. Remove blistered skin and cover with a dry dressing
Blisters should not be removed in the initial phase unless they are large and tense. Removal increases the risk of infection.
C. Apply saline-soaked wet-to-dry dressings
Wet dressings can lead to hypothermia in burn patients, which worsens outcomes. Dry coverings are preferred.
D. Cover with a clean dry sheet to prevent hypothermia
Burn patients lose heat rapidly due to loss of skin integrity. Covering with a clean, dry sheet helps prevent hypothermia and infection before transfer.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Decrease chest pain is important but not the highest priority. Managing pain can help with breathing, but oxygenation is the primary concern.
B. Reduce the client's anxiety is secondary to physiological needs. Anxiety can worsen dyspnea, but addressing oxygenation first is more critical.
C. Maintain adequate circulating volume is a priority if there is hemorrhage, but the question does not indicate bleeding. Oxygenation takes precedence in this case.
D. Maintain adequate oxygenation is the priority. Chest trauma can lead to pneumothorax, pulmonary contusion, or other complications that can impair gas exchange. Ensuring adequate oxygenation prevents hypoxia and respiratory failure, which are life-threatening.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Massive blood loss leading to decreased oxygen delivery to tissues
This describes hypovolemic shock, which occurs due to significant blood or fluid loss (e.g., hemorrhage, severe dehydration). In this scenario, there is no evidence of massive blood loss, making hypovolemic shock unlikely.
B. Severe allergic reaction causing systemic vasodilation and increased capillary permeability
This describes anaphylactic shock, which results from an acute allergic reaction (e.g., to food, medication, insect stings). There is no mention of an allergen exposure or symptoms like wheezing, stridor, or urticaria, making anaphylactic shock unlikely.
C. Infection causing a systemic inflammatory response leading to vasodilation and decreased tissue perfusion
This patient is exhibiting signs of septic shock, which occurs as a result of a severe infection leading to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The presence of fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypotension, and altered mental status strongly suggests sepsis progressing to septic shock.
D. Cardiac failure resulting in inadequate tissue perfusion and oxygenation
This describes cardiogenic shock, which occurs due to heart failure (e.g., from myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy). It leads to low cardiac output, pulmonary congestion, and organ hypoperfusion. This patient’s infection and systemic inflammation suggest septic shock, not a primary cardiac event.
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