NBCSN Nationally Certified School Nurse Practice Exam

What is the first step in treating heat exhaustion?

1. Administer intravenous fluids

2. Loosen clothing and give sips of fluids

3. Move to a shaded area

4. Apply heat packs to the body

The correct answer is: Loosen clothing and give sips of fluids

The initial step in treating heat exhaustion focuses on immediate action to cool the affected individual and prevent further physiological stress. Loosening clothing and providing sips of fluids helps decrease the body’s temperature and rehydrates the person. This action allows for more effective heat dissipation and addresses mild dehydration that often accompanies heat exhaustion. Moving to a shaded area is an important step that typically follows this action to provide a cooler environment, thus aiding in recovery. While administering intravenous fluids might be necessary in more severe cases or when the patient is unable to drink, it is not the immediate first step. Applying heat packs would be counterproductive, as the goal is to reduce body temperature, not raise it. Therefore, loosening clothing and giving fluids is the appropriate initial response to manage heat exhaustion effectively.