NCLEX: Prioritizing Frostbite Nursing Interventions
ORDERED-RESPONSE
A traveler's feet suddenly become pale, turn red, and feel very cold. In just 30 minutes, the affected part became prickly and numb. Place the following interventions in the correct order for a client with frostbite.
Unordered Options
Immerse the feet in warm water (105°F-115°F/40.6°C-46.1°C)
Remove the client from the cold environment
Apply loose, sterile, bulky dressing
Administer pain medication
Monitor for compartment syndrome
Ordered Responses
Rationale
Remove the client from the cold environment
This is the first and most critical step to prevent further cold injury and progression of frostbite. Continuing exposure worsens tissue damage.
Immerse the feet in warm water (105°F–115°F / 40.6°C–46.1°C)
Controlled, rapid rewarming using a water bath is the standard treatment for frostbite. Rewarming should be done only once, in a safe environment, to prevent refreezing which causes more severe injury.
Administer pain medication
Rewarming is often excruciatingly painful. Pain management is important after rewarming begins and should be anticipatory to avoid unnecessary suffering.
Apply a loose, sterile, bulky dressing
After rewarming, dressings are used to protect thawed tissues, prevent contamination, and minimize further trauma.
Monitor for compartment syndrome
Reperfusion after rewarming can lead to compartment syndrome, especially in cases of deep frostbite. Swelling and tissue pressure must be carefully monitored.