Volume 14, Issue 3: Hypothermia – the hot topic of a patient out cold

Hypothermia – the hot topic of a patient out cold

It’s a chilly morning and just five minutes into your shift the alert goes off, you are being dispatched to a Category 1 unresponsive patient in a remote location. As you drive along you try to prepare for a number of scenarios. When you arrive the patient is unconscious and icy cold. You start to assess them and the conveyance options…

CPD benefit

Hypothermia is potentially life threatening and early recognition can be key to providing the patient with the best chance of survival. This article defines and outlines the key features of hypothermia and its pathophysiology. There is guidance on how to interpret the signs and symptoms and assess the patient with a full set of observations. This will help you to provide the best care for the patient using appropriate management strategies such as preventing further heat loss, re-warming or resuscitation as well as deciding the best conveyance option.