Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Corso di laurea in infermieristica - Sede di Modena

Abstract

Accidental hypothermia is an uncommon phenomenon, but it has a great impact on the patient outcome. The human body needs a constant temperature that goes around 37 ° C in order to perform its functions at its best. When the body reaches a lower temperature, the thermoregulation processes are activated, whose function is to maintain a constant temperature. The temperature is mantained especially at the central nervous system, the chest and abdominal organs. In cases of prolonged exposure to cold environments, the body is unable to cope with excessive heat loss, in this case external intervention is required. In order to identify the most appropriate interventions to the specific case, hypothermic grading scales have been developed. All of them are based on the central temperature, and therefore it’s necessary to measure it using the most suitable method for the specific case. Depending on the degree of patient hypothermia, protection from further heat loss and active heating will be necessary. Knowing the indications for proper management of the patient (victim of accidental hypothermia), is very important for the good outcome of the rescue. The priority is to avoid cardiovascular collapse during the rescue phase, therefore it’s necessary to know phenomenas as afterdrop and circumrescue collapse. Nursing diagnosis represent a clinical judgment based on the responses given by the person to the real and potential health problem. Choose the nursing interventions needed is very important to reach the established goal.