The heat is on: protecting your patients from nature's silent killer

Hot weather may be uncomfortable, but for many, it can be a killer. This article describes different types of heat-related illness, risk factors for heat stroke, and outlines targeted nursing interventions and critical environmental assessments. Nurses can use this information to identify at-risk patients and conduct patient and family teaching. Because home care and hospice nurses and other staff often work in severe heat, this knowledge is also important for personal health and safety.