When a nurse observes muscle stiffening occurring within 6–14 hours after death, the nurse should document this finding as the presence of:
a. livor mortis.
b. gangrene.
c. algor mortis.
d. rigor mortis.
ANS: D
Rigor mortis occurs within 6 hours after death and is evidenced by muscle stiffening. Livor mor-tis is a purple discoloration. Gangrene refers to death of tissue and results from severe hypoxic injury and does not lead to stiffening. Algor mortis is postmortem reduction of body tempera-ture.
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