Question

A client who has partial-thickness burns on the chest, abdomen, and right side arrives in the emergency department. which action will the nurse take first?

Answer 1

The nurse should evaluate for inhalation injury. Partial-thickness burns or second-degree burns are serious burns of the two top layers of skin. The nurse should assess the respiratory status since heat inhalation could cause swelling of the respiratory tube and the oxygenation of the organism could be severely affected.