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The nurse is caring for a patient who has just been admitted with a 40% total body surface area (TBSA) burn injury. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care to maintain adequate nutrition?
- A. Insert a feeding tube and initiate enteral feedings.
- B. Infuse total parenteral nutrition via a central catheter.
- C. Encourage an oral intake of at least 5000 kcal/day
- D. Administer multiple vitamins and minerals in the IV solution.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Enteral feedings can usually be initiated during the emergent phase at low rates and increased over 24-48 hours to the goal rate. During the emergent phase, the patient will be unable to eat enough calories to meet nutritional needs and may have a paralytic ileus that prevents adequate nutrient absorption. Vitamins and minerals may be administered during the emergent phase, but these will not assist in meeting the patient's caloric needs. Parenteral nutrition increases the infection risk, does not help preserve gastrointestinal function, and is not routinely used in burn patients.
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The occupational health nurse is assessing an employee who has just spilled industrial acids on the arms and legs. Which of the following actions is priority for the nurse to implement?
- A. Apply an alkaline solution to the affected area.
- B. Place cool compresses on the area of exposure.
- C. Cover the affected area with dry, sterile dressings.
- D. Flush the burned area with large amounts of water.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: With chemical burns, the initial action is to remove the chemical from contact with the skin as quickly as possible. Covering the affected area or placing cool compresses on the area will leave the chemical in contact with the skin. Application of an alkaline solution is not recommended.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has deep partial-thickness and full-thickness burns of the face and chest and is having the wounds treated with the open method. Which of the following nursing actions should be included in the plan of care?
- A. Restritct all visitors to prevent cross-contamination of wounds.
- B. Wear gowns, caps, masks, and gloves during all care of the patient.
- C. Turn the room temperature up to at least 20 C (68 F) during dressing changes.
- D. Administer prophylactic antibiotics to prevent bacterial colonization of wounds.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Use of gowns, caps, masks, and gloves during all patient care will decrease the possibility of wound contamination for a patient whose burns are not covered. Restricting all visitors is not necessary and will have adverse psychosocial consequences for the patient. The room temperature should be kept at approximately 30 C (86 F) for patients with open burn wounds. Systemic antibiotics are not well absorbed into deep burns because of the lack of circulation.
The nurse is caring for a patient with severe burns who is receiving crystalloid fluid replacement IV. ordered using the Parkland formula. The initial volume of fluid to be administered in the first 24 hours is 30000 ml. The initial rate of administration is 1875 ml/hour. Which of the following infusion rates is accurate after the first 8 hours?
- A. 350 ml/hour
- B. 253 ml/hour
- C. 938 ml/hour
- D. 250 ml/hour
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Half of the fluid replacement using the Parkland formula is administered in the first 8 hours and the other half over the next 16 hours (25% per each 8 hour period, respectively). In this case, the patient should receive half of the initial rate, or 938 ml/hour.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has burns on the back and chest from a house fire and has become agitated and restless 9 hours after being admitted to the hospital. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
- A. Stay at the bedside and reassure the patient.
- B. Administer the ordered morphine sulphate IV.
- C. Assess orientation and level of consciousness.
- D. Use pulse oximetry to check the oxygen saturation.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Agitation in a patient who may have suffered inhalation injury might flanks hypoxemia, and this should be assessed by the nurse first. Administration of morphine may be indicated if the nurse determines that the agitation is caused by pain. Assessing level of consciousness and orientation also is appropriate but not as essential as determining whether the patient is hypoxemic. Reassurance is not helpful to reduce agitation in a hypoxemic patient.
Which of the following actions should be included in the plan of care for a patient who has burns of the ears, head, neck, and right arm and hand?
- A. Place the right arm and hand flexed in a position of comfort.
- B. Elevate the right arm and hand on pillows and extend the fingers.
- C. Assist the patient to a supine position with a small pillow under the head.
- D. Position the patient in a side-lying position with rolled towel under the neck.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The right hand and arm should be elevated to reduce swelling and the fingers extended to avoid flexion contractures (even though this position may not be comfortable for the patient). The patient with burns of the ears should not use a pillow since this will put pressure on the ears and may stick to the ears. Patients with neck burns should not use a pillow, since the head should be maintained in an extended position in order to avoid contractures.