Nursing 104

N104: Essentials of Nursing Care – Health Safety Study Guide radiation sickness include nausea, weakness, hair loss, skin burns, and reduced organ function. If the exposure is large enough, it can cause premature aging or even death. Radiation exposure is measured in millirems. One millirem of radiation is absorbed by an average year of watching television or a coast-to-coast airline flight. In a year, the average person in the United States is exposed to about 200 millirems of environmental radiation. Large, whole body radiation doses can cause effects when the dose is received at one time. Effects of large doses of radiation: Effect Dose (rems) No observable effect 0-25 Slight blood changes 25-100 Significant reduction in blood platelets and white blood cells (temporary) 100-200 Severe blood damage, nausea, hair loss, hemorrhage, and death in many cases 200-500 Death in less than two months for over 80% More than 600 7.2 Factors Affecting Environmental Safety Physical Status Patients with impaired sensory abilities may be at risk for environmental injuries, since they may be unable to perceive heat, cold, or discomfort in an injured extremity. Patients with impaired mobility or balance may be at increased risk for falls. Patients with impaired communication may be at increased risk for injury due to an inability to accurately communicate the pain or discomfort that may be associated with the injury. Psychological Status Patients in extreme emotional states may be at an increased risk for environmental injury due to decreased ability to concentrate, inability to make appropriate choices, and inability to make judgments or react to stimuli quickly enough to avoid the injury. If the patient is disoriented due to disease, medications, drugs, or alcohol, the risk of environmental injury will be increased. The sleep- deprived patient may exhibit poor judgment and slower reflexes. Developmental Stage Each developmental stage brings with it risks for specific environmental injuries. • Newborns and infants have no ability to control their environments and are particularly susceptible to burns and choking. Because of their immature systems, these children are not able to regulate their body temperatures. The nurse must teach the caregiver about keeping the infant warm and dry, and about controlling the temperature of bath water and the external environment. The infant will put anything in his mouth, including medications and poisons.

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