A patient in the emergency department fell through the ice on a pond and was rescued by friends and driven to the hospital, still in wet clothes. By removing the wet clothes, the nurse is preventing:
A) radiant heat loss.
B) evaporative heat loss.
C) convective heat loss.
D) conductive heat loss.
B) evaporative heat loss.
Explanation: A) Radiant heat loss is the transfer of heat that involves an electromagnetic energy exchange between two objects of different temperatures, again from warmer to cooler areas. Because body temperatures are warmer than ambient conditions, heat is radiated to the air.
B) Evaporative heat loss occurs when a liquid on the skin such as sweat or a person's wet clothes, vaporizes. Evaporative heat loss is effective only when the environmental humidity is relatively low and convective flow keeps the air moisture concentration low.
C) Convective heat loss is the transfer of heat that is promoted by currents from fans, air conditioning, or drafty conditions that rapidly remove heat from the skin.
D) Conductive heat loss is the transfer of heat from warmer skin to colder surfaces such as examining tables, bed linens, or examining instruments.
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