A hospitalized patient complains of bilateral leg pain and asks ...

[jessicacav]

A hospitalized patient complains of bilateral leg pain and asks the nurse to massage her legs. One calf is noticeably larger than the other and is warm and slightly reddened. What action by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Only massage the leg with normal assessment findings.
  b. Massage the front of both legs gently, and avoid the posterior surfaces.
  c. Perform a Homan's test to both legs prior to massaging either of them.
  d. Educate the patient on why a massage would be contraindicated.

Question 2

A nurse is told in handoff report that a patient opens eye spontaneously, is confused but able to answer questions, and demonstrates purposeful movement to painful stimuli. What does the nurse calculate the patient's Glasgow Coma Scale to be?
 
  a. 7
  b. 9
  c. 11
  d. 13

[shoemake]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
This patient has manifestations of a deep vein thrombosis, and the nurse should not massage the patient's legs. The nurse should inform the patient of why this is contraindicated. The other actions are not warranted.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
This patient's eye opening would be scored 4, verbal response would be 4, and motor response would be scored at 5; this equals a score of 13.

[jessicacav]

TY

[shoemake]

You're welcome