For a cold compress, which statement is correct?

For a cold compress, which statement is correct?

• A. Leave On Indefinitely
• B. Check After 5 Minutes And Do Not Leave On Resident For More Than 20 Minutes
• C. Check After 60 Seconds And Remove Immediately
• D. Use A Hot Compress If Resident Feels Cold

Answer: (B)

Cold therapy helps reduce swelling and pain, but the skin can be injured if the cold is applied too long or the resident doesn’t tolerate it. The safest approach is to check the skin after about 5 minutes to look for signs of intolerance—unusual redness, paleness, numbness, or tingling—and to stop or adjust if needed. Limiting the total time to no more than 20 minutes protects tissue from cold injury, which is especially important for older adults with more fragile skin. Using a hot compress when the resident feels cold would defeat the purpose and could cause burns, and checking after only 60 seconds isn’t enough time to detect early problems. Leaving it on indefinitely is unsafe.

Cold therapy helps reduce swelling and pain, but the skin can be injured if the cold is applied too long or the resident doesn’t tolerate it. The safest approach is to check the skin after about 5 minutes to look for signs of intolerance—unusual redness, paleness, numbness, or tingling—and to stop or adjust if needed. Limiting the total time to no more than 20 minutes protects tissue from cold injury, which is especially important for older adults with more fragile skin. Using a hot compress when the resident feels cold would defeat the purpose and could cause burns, and checking after only 60 seconds isn’t enough time to detect early problems. Leaving it on indefinitely is unsafe.