A nurse is caring for a newly admitted patient following a burn injury. The nurse suspects an inhalation injury. Which of the following assessment findings would support his suspicion?
Explanation
• Physical findings indicative of inhalation injury include stridor, dyspnea, singed nasal hair or oral mucosal burns, soot in the sputum, facial burns, and wheezing
• Tachycardia and low urine output do frequently occur with some burn injuries but are not specific to inhalation injuries
• Sputum is usually black from soot, not red-tinged