Participant outcomes

The goal of this program is to provide nurses and other healthcare professionals with information about hypothermia and hyperthermia in the elderly, including signs and symptoms, treatment, and prevention strategies.

Upon completion of this program you should be able to:

Discuss why elderly patients have changes in body temperature regulation that make them susceptible to both hypothermia and hyperthermia.
Describe specific risk factors for hypothermia in the elderly.
Describe the signs and symptoms of hypothermia.
Discuss specific risk factors for hyperthermia in the elderly.
Differentiate drugs catagories that can increase hyperthermia risk and those that don’t in older patients.
Distinguish the characteristics of: heat cramps, heat edema, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke • Describe signs and symptoms of hyperthermia.
Identify treatment for hyperthermia.