To assess skin temperature in a hypothermic patient, which part of the body should you check?

Assessing skin temperature in a hypothermic patient is best accomplished by checking the back of the hand against the patient's abdomen. This method provides a more accurate measure of the patient's core temperature. The abdomen is an area that reflects internal body temperature well, as it is insulated and less subject to environmental influences than extremities.

Using the back of the hand against the abdomen allows you to gauge how warm or cold the patient feels against your skin, helping to identify the severity of hypothermia more effectively. The back of the hand is more sensitive to temperature changes than the palm, making it a reliable choice for this assessment.

When evaluating other options, while checking the back of the hand against the forehead could give some indication of temperature, it is less reliable due to the influence of environmental conditions and the heat that the head can retain. Checking the inside of the wrist and using the palm against the leg provide less effective indicators of core temperature as both areas can be affected by peripheral circulation and external factors. Thus, assessing the abdomen is the most valid method for determining the skin temperature in a hypothermic patient.