If a nurse notes that a client's skin feels warm to the touch, what does this indicate?

When a nurse notes that a client's skin feels warm to the touch, this typically indicates that the skin temperature is elevated. Warm skin can be a sign of various physiological responses.

Increased skin temperature may occur due to factors such as increased blood flow to the area, which can be a response to physical activity, emotional responses like stress or excitement, or an indication of infection or inflammation in the case of localized warmth.

A normal skin temperature is usually considered to be in a specific range, and warm skin suggests that the entire body temperature could be elevated. The feeling of warmth on the skin should prompt the nurse to consider further assessment to determine the underlying cause, including checking the client's overall body temperature, assessing for other signs of infection, or evaluating for signs of dehydration, as warm skin in conjunction with other symptoms can be indicative of various conditions.

Therefore, the indication that the skin temperature is elevated aligns more accurately with the observation of warmth to touch rather than suggesting a normal temperature.