Frostbite

Frostbite
 Description
– Freezing of a distal or small body part from
prolonged cold exposure
 Cold air
 Contact with a cold object
 Wind and/or water chill

Drill of the Month 2

 Frostbite
 Description
– Local cooling injuries to extremities
 Feet and toes
 Hands and fingers
 Face: nose and cheeks
 Ears

Drill of the Month 3

Frostbite Assessment and Care
 Assessment: Perform General Patient Care
– Size up the scene; gather info on approach
– Perform initial assessment
 Superficial
– Look for color changes: light skin reddens; dark skin
lightens; both blanch followed by color changes
– Feel area for pliability
– Ask patient how it feels: patient may report numbness,
tingling, burning, etc.

Drill of the Month 4

Frostbite Assessment and Care
 Assessment: Perform General Patient Care
– Size up the scene; gather info on approach
– Perform initial assessment
 Deep
– Check skin appearance: white, waxy skin turns mottled
or blotchy, then to grayish yellow to grayish blue
– Look for swelling and blistering
– Gently palpate: Does surface feel frozen w/no pliability in
underlying tissue? Do not squeeze affected part
– Ask patient how it feels

Drill of the Month 5

Frostbite Assessment and Care
 Emergency care (adults or peds)
– Remove patient from cold environment
 Outside: Place patient in heated ambulance, wrap
in blankets
 Inside: Turn up heat while working in patient’s
home, wrap in blankets, move to heated
ambulance

Drill of the Month 6

Frostbite Assessment and Care
 Emergency care (adults or peds)
– Gently handle frostbitten areas
 Do not rub affected areas
 Ice crystals in tissues cause further damage
– Wrap affected area gently, loosely with gauze
 Patient may complain of tingling/burning: these
are normal sensations

Drill of the Month 7

Frostbite Assessment and Care
 Emergency care (adults or peds)
– If patient does not respond to simple
treatment, begin care for deep frostbite
 Provide high-concentration oxygen
 Provide rapid transport
 If transport is delayed, re-warm affected part only
on medical direction
 Do not allow patient to smoke or consume caffeine
or alcohol (vasoconstrictors, raise blood pressure)
 Do not allow patient to use affected part or walk
on affected feet
Drill of the Month 8
Frostbite Assessment and Care
 Emergency care (adults or peds)
– Maintain a warm environment: do not re-
expose patient to a cold environment
– Reassess: recheck vital signs, recheck injury
treatments and medical status
– Transport/transfer/transition patient and
information

Drill of the Month 9