Nurs 4581 Critical Care Med Surg II Test Questions With
Complete Solutions
At what core body temperature are you considered
hypothermic?
Less than 95 F (35 C)
(Normal is 98.6 F so only 3.6 points less!)
At what temperature does hypothermia become
life threatening?
Hypothermia becomes life threatening at 86 F (30
C)
What are some risk factors for becoming
hypothermic?
Being old (elderly), drugs, alcohol, and diabetes.
This is because regulation of temperature is
changed (old people are always cold, and drunk
people never know they are cold when doing dumb
things like skinny dipping in the river in december)
What is the range of temperature for mild
hypothermia?
93.2 F to 96.8 F
(34 C to 36 C)
How do you convert C to F?
(C x 1.8) + 32 = F
,How would a patient with mild hypothermia
present?
Well mild hypothermia is (93.2-96.8F/34-36C)
presented by lethargy, shivering, confusion,
possibly irrational behavior, and minor heart
changes.
What is the range of temperature for moderate
hypothermia?
86 F to 93.3 F
(30-34 C)
How would a patient with moderate hypothermia
present?
Bradycardia, bradypnea, metabolic and respiratory
acidosis, hypovolemia
Why would a patient with moderate hypothermia
develop metabolic and respiratory acidosis?
Because they are breathing less (bradypnea) they
are hypo ventilating. You breath out CO2 so if you
arent breathing much there is going to be more
inside causing acidosis. Hypoxia causes the
metabolic acidosis.
If a patient with moderate hypothermia has
hypovolemia then how would we get there blood
pressure?
,We would use a doppler to get a patient's BP if it is
hypovolemic.
At what temperature will the shivering response
disappear?
Less than 92 F (33.3 C)
What is the range of temperature for severe
hypothermia?
Less than 82.4 F (28 C)
Does a coma result from severe hypothermia?
Severe hypothermia (82.4 F or 28 C) does result in
a coma.
At what temperature will death occur in the
hypothermic state?
Death occurs usually when the core temp reaches
less than 78 F (25.6 C)
What is the temperature of profound hypothermia
and how does it make the patient present?
Profound hypothermia is less than 86 F (30 C) and
makes the patient appear DEAD (bradycardia,
asystole, v fib).
So you are not dead until you are warm and dead!
Again, what were the ranges for mild hypothermia?
93.2-96.8 F
34-36 C
, Again, what were the ranges for moderate
hypothermia?
86-93.2 F
30-34 C
Again, what temperature does shivering disappear
at?
Less than 92 F (33.3 C)
Again, what is severe hypothermia?
Less than 86 C
Again, what temperature does a coma occur?
Less than 82.4 (28 C)
Again, what temperature does death occur?
Less than 78 C
At what temperature can you PRONOUNCE the
patient dead after warming them up from
hypothermia?
Warm the patient to at least 90 F (32.2 C) before
pronounced dead.
What are the risks of rewarming?
After drop
Hypotension
Dysrhythmia
Complete Solutions
At what core body temperature are you considered
hypothermic?
Less than 95 F (35 C)
(Normal is 98.6 F so only 3.6 points less!)
At what temperature does hypothermia become
life threatening?
Hypothermia becomes life threatening at 86 F (30
C)
What are some risk factors for becoming
hypothermic?
Being old (elderly), drugs, alcohol, and diabetes.
This is because regulation of temperature is
changed (old people are always cold, and drunk
people never know they are cold when doing dumb
things like skinny dipping in the river in december)
What is the range of temperature for mild
hypothermia?
93.2 F to 96.8 F
(34 C to 36 C)
How do you convert C to F?
(C x 1.8) + 32 = F
,How would a patient with mild hypothermia
present?
Well mild hypothermia is (93.2-96.8F/34-36C)
presented by lethargy, shivering, confusion,
possibly irrational behavior, and minor heart
changes.
What is the range of temperature for moderate
hypothermia?
86 F to 93.3 F
(30-34 C)
How would a patient with moderate hypothermia
present?
Bradycardia, bradypnea, metabolic and respiratory
acidosis, hypovolemia
Why would a patient with moderate hypothermia
develop metabolic and respiratory acidosis?
Because they are breathing less (bradypnea) they
are hypo ventilating. You breath out CO2 so if you
arent breathing much there is going to be more
inside causing acidosis. Hypoxia causes the
metabolic acidosis.
If a patient with moderate hypothermia has
hypovolemia then how would we get there blood
pressure?
,We would use a doppler to get a patient's BP if it is
hypovolemic.
At what temperature will the shivering response
disappear?
Less than 92 F (33.3 C)
What is the range of temperature for severe
hypothermia?
Less than 82.4 F (28 C)
Does a coma result from severe hypothermia?
Severe hypothermia (82.4 F or 28 C) does result in
a coma.
At what temperature will death occur in the
hypothermic state?
Death occurs usually when the core temp reaches
less than 78 F (25.6 C)
What is the temperature of profound hypothermia
and how does it make the patient present?
Profound hypothermia is less than 86 F (30 C) and
makes the patient appear DEAD (bradycardia,
asystole, v fib).
So you are not dead until you are warm and dead!
Again, what were the ranges for mild hypothermia?
93.2-96.8 F
34-36 C
, Again, what were the ranges for moderate
hypothermia?
86-93.2 F
30-34 C
Again, what temperature does shivering disappear
at?
Less than 92 F (33.3 C)
Again, what is severe hypothermia?
Less than 86 C
Again, what temperature does a coma occur?
Less than 82.4 (28 C)
Again, what temperature does death occur?
Less than 78 C
At what temperature can you PRONOUNCE the
patient dead after warming them up from
hypothermia?
Warm the patient to at least 90 F (32.2 C) before
pronounced dead.
What are the risks of rewarming?
After drop
Hypotension
Dysrhythmia
