Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Practice Exam 2025 - Free ATLS Practice Questions and Study Guide

Monitoring temperature is a critical step in managing exposure and environmental control in trauma patients because hypothermia can significantly worsen the patient's overall condition. Trauma patients are at risk for hypothermia due to several factors, including environmental exposure, the effects of shock, and the loss of warm blood during injuries or surgeries.

Maintaining normothermia is vital as hypothermia can lead to coagulopathy, increased risk of infection, and diminished metabolic function, which can complicate recovery and increase mortality rates. Hence, actively monitoring a trauma patient's temperature allows medical professionals to implement timely interventions, such as warming blankets or heated IV fluids, to prevent or treat hypothermia.

While administering IV fluids, applying oxygen therapy, and using a nasogastric tube are all important components of trauma management, they do not directly address the specific concern of exposure and environmental control in the context of temperature regulation. Monitoring temperature is essential for managing the patient’s stability and facilitating recovery.