Rib Fracture NCLEX Review and Nursing Care Plans. Rib fracture, or a broken rib, is a type of fracture that accounts for at least 12 percent of all cases of broken bones. The rib cage is a bony structure made up of the sternum (breast bone), 24 rib bones divided into 12 pairs, and cartilage attached to the thoracic region of the spinal column..