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What are some adverse outcomes of heat therapy?
Adverse outcomes include burns, infections, increased pain, and increased inflammation.
How often should the condition of the skin be monitored during the application of heat therapy?
The condition of the skin should be monitored every 5 minutes during the application.
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Contraindications and Precautions for Heat and Cold Therapy

What are some adverse outcomes of heat therapy?

Adverse outcomes include burns, infections, increased pain, and increased inflammation.

Patient Assessment and Monitoring

How often should the condition of the skin be monitored during the application of heat therapy?

The condition of the skin should be monitored every 5 minutes during the application.

Cold Therapy Applications

What conditions are indicated for cold application?

Cold application is indicated for conditions such as sprains, strains, fractures, muscle spasms, minor burns, and chronic pain from arthritis.

Physiological Effects of Heat and Cold

What superficial effect does heat application generally have due to poor skin penetration?

Superficial heat generally affects only cutaneous blood flow and cutaneous nerve receptors.

Patient Education and Safety

What precautions should be taken when using electronic digital moist heat packs?

Patients should be instructed on how to control the temperature of the heat application and supervised for potential burns or overheating.

Moist Heat Applications

What are the benefits of moist heat applications?

Moist heat applications increase skeletal muscle and ligament relaxation and flexibility, promote healing, and relieve spasms, joint stiffness, and pain.

Delegation of Heat and Cold Therapy

What is the nurse’s primary responsibility when delegating heat or cold therapy to assistive personnel (AP)?

The nurse’s primary responsibility is to assess and evaluate the skin and tissues to be treated and explain the purpose of the treatment.

Moist Heat Applications

What are some common forms of moist local heat applications?

Common forms include warm compresses, commercial moist heat packs, warm baths, soaks, and sitz baths.

Patient Education and Safety

What should be included in patient teaching for home use of heat therapy?

Patients should be educated on the proper temperature, signs to watch for such as excessive redness or blistering, and how frequently to monitor the skin.

Contraindications and Precautions for Heat and Cold Therapy

What are some common contraindications for heat therapy?

Common contraindications include pregnancy, laminectomy site, malignancy, vascular insufficiency, neuropathy, and open lesions.

Dry Heat Applications

What are some common forms of dry heat therapy?

Common forms include a water-flow pad (e.g., aquathermia pad), electric heating pads, and commercial dry heat packs.

Patient Assessment and Monitoring

What should be done if a patient displays adverse reactions like burning or increased pain during cold therapy?

Stop the therapy immediately and notify the healthcare provider.

Evaluation of Heat and Cold Therapy

What are the advantages of heat applications in general?

Heat applications help in relieving pain, improving range of motion (ROM), and facilitating healing.

Patient Assessment and Monitoring

What should a nurse know before applying heat therapy?

A nurse should know if a patient is at risk for injury from a heat application, how to apply it, and monitor it safely.

Indications for Heat Therapy

When is moist heat most commonly used?

Moist heat is most commonly used after the acute phase of a musculoskeletal injury, during and after childbirth, surgery, and superficial thrombophlebitis.

Patient Education and Safety

Why should a waterproof pad not be used with a sitz bath or commercial heat pad?

To protect bed linen and prevent creating a moist environment that could lead to infection.

Moist Heat Applications

How does moist heat help in therapeutic applications?

By increasing local blood flow and having an analgesic effect due to higher cutaneous temperature.

Physiological Effects of Heat and Cold

What physiological effects do cold applications have?

Cold applications decrease pain, muscle spasm, metabolism, blood flow, inflammation, and edema.

Study Smarter, Not Harder
Study Smarter, Not Harder