Author Question: The patient is admitted to a skilled care unit for rehabilitation 10 days after the surgical ... (Read 56 times)

khang · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

The patient is admitted to a skilled care unit for rehabilitation 10 days after the surgical procedure of fixation of a fractured left hip and has a nursing diagnosis of Impaired physical mobility related to musculoskeletal impairment from surgery

and pain with movement. The patient is able to use a walker but needs assistance ambulating and transferring from the bed to the chair. Which of the following nursing interventions is most appropriate for this patient? a. Obtain assistance and physically transfer the patient to the chair.
b. Assist the patient with ambulation and measure how far she walks.
c. Withhold pain medication so that she can ambulate with a clear mind.
d. Bring the patient to the cafeteria for group instruction on ambulation.

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a patient with a spinal cord injury and notices that the patient's hips have a tendency to rotate externally when the patient is supine. To help prevent injury secondary to this rotation, the nurse can use

a. A trochanter roll.
b. The trapeze bar.
c. Hand rolls.
d. Hand-wrist splints.

meganlapinski · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
Assess the patient as she walks and measure how far she walks to quantify progress. The nurse should allow the patient to do as much for herself as possible. Therefore, she should observe the patient transferring from the bed to the chair using her walker, and should provide assistance as needed. The patient should be encouraged to use adequate pain medication to decrease the effects of pain and to increase mobility. The patient should be instructed on safe transfer and ambulation techniques in an environment with few distractions.

Answer to Question 2

A
A trochanter roll prevents external rotation of the hips when the patient is in a supine position. Hand rolls maintain the thumb in slight adduction and in opposition to the fingers. Hand-wrist splints are individually molded for the patient to maintain proper alignment of the thumb and the wrist. The trapeze bar is a triangular device that hangs down from a securely fastened overhead bar that is attached to the bed frame. It allows the patient to pull with the upper extremities to raise the trunk off the bed, to assist in transfer from bed to wheelchair, or to perform upper arm exercises.