Upload
bates2ndquarterlpn
View
25
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
This is part of the Nursing Skills powerpoints and is supposed to appear on the first test.
Citation preview
Therapeutic Effects of Heat and Cold Applications
Physiological Responses
Therapeutic Benefits
Heat Therapy
Promote vasodilation Improve blood flow
Decreases blood viscosity
Increases tissue metabolism
Increases delivery of oxygen & nutrients, leukocytes, antibodies to facilitate the inflammatory process.
Increases capillary permeability
Facilitates removal of waste & toxins.
Produces a local warming effect.
Increases absorption of fluid by capillaries & promotes removal of excess fluid from interstitial spaces,
Physiological Responses
Therapeutic Benefits
thereby reducing edema
Promotes muscle relaxation & decreases pain from spasm or stiffness.
Cold Therapy
Promotes vasoconstriction
Increases blood viscosity
Decreases tissue metabolism
has a local anesthetic effect
Decreases muscle tension
Decreases blood flow to site of injury, thereby decreasing inflammation & edema formation.
Decreases blood flow, facilitating clotting & control of bleeding.
Reduces oxygen consumption of tissues.
Raises pain threshold
Maximum vasodilation & vasoconstriction occurs in 30 minutes
Heat & cold are directly transferred from on substance to another by conduction
• A poor conductor is called an insulator.
• Water is a good conductor; air is not--so skin will tolerated higher
temperatures if heat is dry rather than moist
--ex: moist, hot compresses are applied at a lower temp than hot water bottle covered in a cloth.
• The body tolerates greater extremes in temperature when duration of exposure is shorter.
• The larger the area involved, the less tolerant the skin in to extremes in temperature.
• Consider the condition of the patient.--unconscious, debilitated,
circulatory problems, broken skin have decreased tolerance to extremes in temperature.
Selection of temperature depends on:1. reason used
2. duration
3. method of application
4. condition of patient
Legal Aspects
1. Always check the orderand check hospital or agency's policy.
2. Assess client, especially his/herskin prior to application.
3. Check as frequency as needed depending on type of application, but at least q1h
4. Leave on only as ordered.
5. Document:a. treatment usedb. how patient tolerated procedurec. how skin looked afterwards
6. If patient is injured, you can be sued.