Nokea
A group of students is reviewing information about cast composition in preparation for a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of each. The students demonstrate understanding of the topic when they cite what as an advantage of a plaster cast?
- A. Better molding to the client
- B. Quicker drying
- C. Longer lasting
- D. More breathable
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Plaster casts require a longer time for drying but mold better to the client and are initially used until the swelling subsides. Fiberglass casts dry more quickly, are lighter in weight, longer lasting, and breathable.
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A client is having traction applied to a fractured left lower extremity prior to surgery. What outcome(s) does the nurse expect from the application of the traction for the client? Select all that apply.
- A. Surgery will not be required.
- B. Muscle spasms will be relieved.
- C. The bones of the left leg will be aligned.
- D. Immobilization of the left leg will be maintained.
- E. Less pain medication will be required.
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: Traction is used to relieve muscle spasm, align bones, and maintain immobilization when used properly. It will not replace surgery to correct the fracture. The client will still require pain medication prior to surgical correction.
A client is harbouring a fractured tibia is to be placed in skin traction. Which of the following is a type of skin traction that the nurse might expect to be used?
- A. Buck's traction
- B. Skeletal traction
- C. External fixation
- D. Cast application
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Buck's traction is a type of skin traction commonly used for temporary immobilization and pain relief in fractures, such as a fractured tibia, until definitive treatment like surgery can be performed. Skeletal traction involves pins inserted into the bone, external fixation involves a frame outside the body, and cast application is not a form of traction.
The nurse is caring for a client with an external fixator that requires pin care twice a day. The nurse observes that there is a new purulent drainage around one of the pins. What intervention should the nurse anticipate doing?
- A. Scrubbing the drainage from around the pin site
- B. Obtaining a culture
- C. Applying iodine-based solution
- D. Apply ointment to the pin site.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A culture should be obtained if purulent drainage is present. Drainage should be gently removed, not scrubbed. Iodine-based products interfere with tissue healing and are not recommended for cleaning pin sites. Ointment should not be applied to the pin site unless specifically ordered.
A 68-year-old female client who had a below the knee amputation is to be discharged because her healing is almost complete. Which of the following would be most important for the nurse to discuss with this client?
- A. Advising the client to avoid red meat
- B. Urging her to keep the affected limb in an elevated position
- C. Educating the client about the effects of menopause
- D. Exploring factors related to the client's home environment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Exploring factors related to the older adult client's home environment and determining a plan for continued rehabilitation before discharge is most important. The client should be encouraged to eat foods rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin D. Because the healing is almost complete, the client need not always keep the affected limb elevated unless prescribed to do so. Because the client is in her late 60s, she is most likely to have already undergone menopause. Therefore, educating her about the effects of menopause is not as important.
A client has a cast that extends from below the elbow to the palmar crease and is secured around the base of the thumb. The thumb is also casted. The nurse identifies this as which type of cast?
- A. Short arm cast
- B. Gauntlet cast
- C. Body cast
- D. Spica cast
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A gauntlet cast is a short arm cast that extends from below the elbow to the palmar crease and is secured around the base of the thumb, with the thumb also being casted. A short arm cast extends from below the elbow to the palmar crease and is secured around the base of the thumb. A body cast is a larger form of a cylinder cast that encircles the trunk from about the nipple line to the iliac crests. A hip spica cast surrounds one or both legs and the trunk.