A patient resuscitated from cardiac arrest and started on targeted temperature management (TTM) is unresponsive to verbal commands. What should the nurse monitor during therapy?

A patient resuscitated from cardiac arrest and started on targeted temperature management (TTM) is unresponsive to verbal commands. What should the nurse monitor during therapy?

• A. Increased blood pressure
• B. Heightened pain response
• C. Improved reflexes
• D. Decreased immune function

Answer: (D)

Targeted temperature management can dampen the body’s immune defenses. Cooling the patient slows metabolic processes and impairs neutrophil function, chemotaxis, and phagocytosis, which increases the risk of infection during and after the therapy. Because fever may be blunted while cooling, infections can be missed unless vigilant monitoring is in place. So the nurse should watch for signs of infection and changes in immune status—track vital signs for new instability, and monitor laboratory indicators such as white blood cell count and inflammatory markers, especially as rewarming begins. This focus on immune function reflects the key risk of TTM, making it the most relevant monitoring target.

Targeted temperature management can dampen the body’s immune defenses. Cooling the patient slows metabolic processes and impairs neutrophil function, chemotaxis, and phagocytosis, which increases the risk of infection during and after the therapy. Because fever may be blunted while cooling, infections can be missed unless vigilant monitoring is in place. So the nurse should watch for signs of infection and changes in immune status—track vital signs for new instability, and monitor laboratory indicators such as white blood cell count and inflammatory markers, especially as rewarming begins. This focus on immune function reflects the key risk of TTM, making it the most relevant monitoring target.