Timby's Introductory Medical-Surgical Nursing Thirteenth, North American Edition - Caring for Clients With Head and Spinal Cord Trauma Related

Review Timby's Introductory Medical-Surgical Nursing Thirteenth, North American Edition - Caring for Clients With Head and Spinal Cord Trauma related questions and content

A nurse is caring for a client with a spinal cord injury from a motorcycle accident. The nurse is instructing on the benefits of stem cell transplantation therapy. Which statement(s) should the nurse include in the teaching? Select all that apply.

  • A. Cells in the spinal cord may regenerate spontaneously when injured.
  • B. Stem cells can cause the damaged spinal nerves to repair themselves.
  • C. Stems cells can be harvested from an individual's own bone marrow.
  • D. Harvested stem cells can be reimplanted into the area surrounding the injury.
  • E. Stem cells can replace the damaged nerve cells when they are transplanted.
Correct Answer: C,D,E

Rationale: When teaching the client about the benefits of stem cell transplantation therapy, the nurse should explain how stem cells are used to treat a spinal cord injury. In particular, the education should emphasize that stem cells are harvested from the client's own bone marrow and can be reimplanted into the area surrounding the injury, replacing the damaged nerve cells when they are transplanted. The spinal cord loses the ability to regenerate when injured, and stem cells replace the injured spinal nerves rather than causing them to repair themselves, so the nurse would be incorrect to include these statements when discussing the therapy with the client.