A 37-year-old male patient presents to the emergency department after sustaining an electrical burn at a construction site. He complains of pain in his left arm where the contact occurred. During your assessment, you note an entry wound on the hand and an exit wound on the foot. What is the priority action in managing this patient?
Administer intravenous fluids.
Perform a thorough cardiovascular and neurological assessment.
Apply ice to the burn sites to reduce tissue damage.
The correct answer is to perform a thorough cardiovascular and neurological assessment. Electrical burns can cause significant internal damage, including arrhythmias and neurological impairments, which may not be immediately apparent. The assessment should include continuous cardiac monitoring, as arrhythmias are a common and potentially life-threatening complication. Administering fluids is important but secondary to ensuring that life-threatening complications are not present. Applying ice to burn sites is not recommended as it can cause further tissue damage.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why are electrical burns associated with arrhythmias?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What are signs of neurological impairments to monitor for in electrical burn patients?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
Why is applying ice to burn wounds not recommended?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
BCEN CFRN
Trauma
Your Score:
Report Issue
Bash, the Crucial Exams Chat Bot
AI Bot
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Pass with Confidence.
Nursing and Medical Assistants Package
You have hit the limits of our free tier, become a Premium Member today for unlimited access.
Military, Healthcare worker, Gov. employee or Teacher? See if you qualify for a Community Discount.
Monthly
$9.99
$9.99/mo
Billed monthly, Cancel any time.
3 Month Pass
$14.99
$4.99/mo
One time purchase of $14.99, Does not auto-renew.
BEST DEAL
Lifetime Pass
$29.99
One time purchase, Good for life.
What You Get
All Nursing and Medical Assistants Package plans include the following perks and exams .