CASE STUDY

Patient with Hyperthermia





Patient with Hyperthermia

Describe the symptoms of the patient with Hyperthermia

The symptoms of a patient with hyperthermia are as follows; body of patient starts to slow as the temperature drops. Aside from the cold that is felt and the shivering that may occur, mental function is most affected initially. A particular danger of hypothermia is that it develops gradually, and since it affects thinking and reasoning, it may go unnoticed (http://www.nice.org.uk).

Initial hunger and nausea will give way to apathy as the core body temperature drops.

This is followed by confusion, lethargy, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, and coma.

Often the affected person will lie down, fall asleep, and die. In some cases, the patient will paradoxically remove their clothes just before this occurs (www.bbc.co.uk).

The decrease in brain function occurs in direct relationship to the decrease in body temperature. Brain function stops at a core temperature of 68 F (20 C). The heart is subject to abnormal electrical rhythms as hypothermia progresses. Ventricular fibrillation, a disorganized rhythm in which the heart is unable to pump, may occur at core temperatures below 82.4 F (28 C). This is one type of cardiac arrest (http://www.nice.org.uk).

What kind fo the nursing intervention /procedures need to be done to bring down the patient 'temperature?

This part of the paper explains nursing intervention and procedures that needs to be done to bring down the temperature of patient with hyperthermia.

Nursing Interventions:

The nurse will assess every four hours the patient's oral temperature and report any temperatures greater than 100.4 to the doctor.-The nurse will administer ordered antipyretics to the patient for a temperature greater than 100.4 per md order (http://www.nice.org.uk). The nurse will encourage and offer oral fluid intake every two hours to the patient.-The nurse will have the patient rate his energy level on a scale 1-10 with 10 being the highest in energy within 72 hours of hospitalization (www.bbc.co.uk).

Apart from that if the victim is exhibiting signs of heat stroke, emergency assistance should be sought immediately. Without medical attention, heat stroke can be deadly.

Heat exhaustion may be treated in several ways:

get the victim out of the sun into a cool place, preferably one that is air conditioned

offer fluids but avoid alcohol and caffeine - water and fruit juices are best

encourage the individual to shower and bathe, or sponge off with cool water

urge the person to lie down and rest, preferably in a cool place

Prevention of Hyperthermia

Prevention hyperthermia is relatively straightforward: Use common sense in avoiding excessive activity in situations in which heat is present. Adequate intake of fluids before, during and after exercise in any situation also is essential.

Nursing Care Plan for Hyperthermia

Goal:

Addressing the problem of increased body temperature to prevent the lack of fluids or other complications due to Hipertermi (http://www.who.int).

Outcomes:

Temperature 36 to 37.5 C, Complaints fever is gone, chills missing, elastic skin turgor, vital signs within normal range (blood pressure, pulse, CVP and JVP)

Nursing Diagnosis for Hypertermia:

Deficient Fluid Volume

Altered Body Temperature

Hyperthermia related to increased metabolism, medication, anesthesia

Hyperthermia related ...