Overview
Heat Stroke at the Bedside
Confusion in a hot environment is an emergency finding, not simply evidence of dehydration.
Confusion in a hot environment is an emergency finding, not simply evidence of dehydration. Heat stroke occurs when uncontrolled heat gain overwhelms thermoregulation and produces brain dysfunction along with dangerous hyperthermia. Cooling begins as soon as heat stroke is suspected; obtaining a temperature, completing a full assessment, or waiting for transport must not delay it. The practical nurse's first priorities are to activate emergency help, remove the person from the heat, expose the skin, begin the fastest available active-cooling method, and continue focused assessment while the emergency team assumes definitive care. The sections that follow connect the recognition pattern with current cooling targets, diagnostic traps, medication safety, and surveillance for organ injury.