During assessment and treatment,
take care to maintain normothermia.
Hypothermia leads to coagulopathy
and a shift of the oxyhemoglobin
dissociation curve to the left. This
causes oxygen to have a greater affi nity
for hemoglobin instead of being
released to the cells. Keep the patient
covered, ensure a warm ambient environment,
and administer warmed
fl uid and blood products.