Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 87%
Simulated
A nurse is admitting a client who has sustained severe burn injuries in a grease fire. Using the Rule of Nines, the nurse should estimate that the client has burned the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.
Correct answer
72
Rationale
The Rule of Nines is a method used to estimate the total body surface area (TBSA) burned in a patient with severe burns. According to this rule, each major body part represents a specific percentage of the TBSA. In an adult, the head accounts for 9%, each upper extremity is 9% (18% total), the front of the trunk is 18%, the back of the trunk is 18%, each lower extremity is 18% (36% total), and the genital area is 1%. Therefore, if a client has sustained severe burn injuries in a grease fire, the nurse should estimate that the client has burned approximately 72% of their TBSA. This calculation is crucial in determining the severity of the burns and guiding appropriate treatment. The correct answer is 72 because it reflects the accurate estimation of the TBSA burned using the Rule of Nines. The other choices are incorrect as they do not align with the standard percentages