patient care report of broken extremity

How do you care for a patient with a broken leg?

Nursing Interventions Nursing care of a patient with fracture include: The nurse should instruct the patient regarding proper methods to control edema and pain. It is important to teach exercises to maintain the health of the unaffected muscles and to increase the strength of muscles needed for transferring and for using assistive devices.

What are the nursing diagnoses of a broken leg?

Based on the assessment data gathered, the nursing diagnoses developed include: Acute pain related to fracture, soft tissue injury, and muscle spasm. Impaired physical mobility related to fracture. Risk for infection related to opening in the skin in an open fracture. Relief of pain.

What questions should I ask my doctor about a broken arm?

For a broken arm, questions to ask your doctor include: 1 What tests are needed? 2 What is the best course of action? 3 Is surgery necessary? 4 What restrictions will need to be followed? 5 Do you recommend seeing a specialist? 6 What pain medications do you recommend?

How should a nurse care for a patient with a fracture?

Nursing care of a patient with fracture include: The nurse should instruct the patient regarding proper methods to control edema and pain. It is important to teach exercises to maintain the health of the unaffected muscles and to increase the strength of muscles needed for transferring and for using assistive devices.

What are the main complaints of the patient's with extremity bone fractures?

SymptomsSevere pain, which may worsen with movement.Swelling.Tenderness.Bruising.Obvious deformity or shortening of the affected leg.Inability to walk.

How will you care for the patient with fracture?

AdvertisementStop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth or a clean piece of clothing.Immobilize the injured area. Don't try to realign the bone or push a bone that's sticking out back in. ... Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain. ... Treat for shock.

What is the most important assessment in fracture care?

C: X-ray is the most definitive diagnostic tool in assessing for fracture as it allows visualization of the affected part. A: Blood studies are not used in a patient with fracture.

What do you say when someone breaks their leg?

Offer help (if possible). Instead, offer specific things you are willing and able to take care of: I am so sorry about your broken leg! I would love to come over on the weekends to mow your lawn and take care of your garden until you make a full recovery. It really stinks that hospitals don't have Netflix.

What are the main goals in fracture management?

So, the basic goals of fracture management are to decrease pain, correct deformity, and increase the chances of fracture healing.

What are the basic patient assessment components for trauma patients?

Below is each sequential area of focus for evaluation and intervention.A: Airway with cervical spine precautions /or protection. ... B: Breathing and Ventilation. ... C: Circulation with hemorrhage control. ... D: Disability (assessing neurologic status) ... E: Exposure and Environmental Control. ... Adjuncts to the Primary Survey:

How do you stabilize a broken leg?

0:363:13How to Splint a Broken Leg or Ankle - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you have nothing at all that you can splint the the leg with you can use the good leg and tieMoreIf you have nothing at all that you can splint the the leg with you can use the good leg and tie both legs. Together when splinting you want to put two triangular bandages or two crevasse. Or.

Which of these things could we use to support a broken bone?

If you suspect they've broken a bone in one of their limbs, immobilize the area using a splint or sling. Apply cold to the area: Wrap an ice pack or bag of ice cubes in a piece of cloth and apply it to the injured area for up to 10 minutes at a time.

What is the first aid treatment for an open fracture?

If it is an open fracture, cover the wound with a sterile dressing or a clean non-fluffy cloth. Apply pressure around the wound and not over the protruding bone, to control any bleeding. Then secure the dressing with a bandage. Advise the casualty to keep still while you support the injured part to stop it from moving.

What should a nurse do for a fracture patient?

Nursing care of a patient with fracture include: The nurse should instruct the patient regarding proper methods to control edema and pain. It is important to teach exercises to maintain the health of the unaffected muscles and to increase the strength of muscles needed for transferring and for using assistive devices.

What are the symptoms of a fracture?

The clinical signs and symptoms of a fracture may include the following but not all are present in every fracture: The pain is continuous and increases in severity until the bone fragments are immobilized. Loss of function. After a fracture, the extremity cannot function properly because the normal function ...

Why does my extremity shorten?

There is an actual shortening of the extremity because of the compression of the fractured bone. When the extremity is gently palpated, a crumbling sensation, called crepitus, can be felt. Localized edema and ecchymosis. Localized edema and ecchymosis occur after a fracture as a result of trauma and bleeding into the tissues.

What is the purpose of a fracture reduction?

Fracture reduction refers to the restoration of the fracture fragments to anatomic alignment and positioning and can be open or closed depending on the type of fracture.

What are the complications of fractures?

Complications of fractures may either be acute or chronic. Hypovolemic shock resulting from hemorrhage is more frequently noted in trauma patients with pelvic fractures and in patients with displaced or open femoral fractures. Fat embolism syndrome.

What happens when a bone is broken?

When the bone is broken, adjacent structures are affected, resulting in soft tissue edema, hemorrhage into muscles and joints, joint dislocations, ruptured tendons, severed nerves, and damaged blood vessels.

What is incomplete fracture?

An incomplete fracture involves a breakthrough only part of the cross-section of the bone. Comminuted fracture. A comminuted fracture is one that produces several bone fragments. Closed fracture. A closed fracture is one that does not cause a break in the skin. Open fracture.

Nursing Care Plans

Creating nursing care plans for clients with fractures, whether in a cast or traction, is based on preventing complications during healing. Performing an accurate nursing assessment regularly allows the nursing staff to manage the patient’s pain and prevent complications.

References and Sources

Auer, R., & Riehl, J. (2017). The incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after fracture of the tibia: an analysis of the National Trauma Databank . Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma , 8 (1), 38-44.

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Nursing Care Plan: The Ultimate Guide and Database – the ultimate database of nursing care plans for different diseases and conditions! Get the complete list!

What to do if you have a displaced fracture?

Setting the bone. If you have a displaced fracture, your doctor might need to move the pieces back into position (reduction). Depending on the amount of pain and swelling you have, you might need a muscle relaxant, a sedative or even a general anesthetic before this procedure.

What doctor can treat a broken musculoskeletal system?

Depending on the severity of the break, your family doctor or the emergency room physician might refer you or your child to a doctor who specializes in injuries of the body's musculoskeletal system (orthopedic surgeon).

What to do if your arm is swollen from a fracture?

Surgery. Surgery is required to stabilize some fractures. If the fracture didn't break the skin, your doctor might wait to do surgery until the swelling has gone down. Keeping your arm from moving and elevating it will decrease swelling.

What is a fracture in medical terms?

Fractures are classified into one or more of the following categories: Open (compound) fracture. The broken bone pierces the skin, a serious condition that requires immediate, aggressive treatment to decrease the risk of infection. Closed fracture. The skin remains unbroken. Displaced fracture.

How long does it take for a broken bone to heal?

Before applying a cast, your doctor will likely wait until the swelling goes down, usually five to seven days after injury. In the meantime, you'll likely wear a splint.

Why do kids have greenstick fractures?

The bone cracks but doesn't break all the way — like what happens when you bend a green stick of wood. Most broken bones in children are greenstick fractures because children's bones are softer and more flexible than are those of adults.

What are the consequences of upper extremity injuries?

Upper extremity injuries rarely have life-threatening consequences, but failure to manage properly can result in severe dysfunction.

What is the role of electromyography in head trauma?

For patients with remote injury, nerve conduction velocity and electromyography may help with the diagnosis of nerve injuries.

Is bleeding of the extremities a source of hemorrhagic shock?

In these situations, bleeding of the extremities as a potential source of hemorrhagic shock should be controlled. Once the patient is stabilized, a thorough examination of any injuries to the patient's extremities as well as chest, abdomen, and head should be performed.

Can you salvage a mangled extremity?

An attempt to salvage a mangled extremity is reasonable in most instances; however, in a patient with severe multisystem injuries and a mangled extremity, primary amputation may be indicated to save the patient's life.

What Is Fracture?

Classification

Causes

Clinical Manifestations

Complications

Assessment and Diagnostic Findings

Medical Management

• Management of a patient with a fracture can belong to either emergent or post-emergent. 1. Immediately after injury, if a fracture is suspected, it is important to immobilize the body part before the patient is moved. 2. Adequate splintingis essential to prevent the movement of fracture fragments. 3. In an open fracture, the wound should be covered...

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Practice Quiz: Fracture

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Nursing Care Plans

• Creating nursing care plansfor clients with fractures, whether in a cast or traction, is based on preventing complications during healing. Performing an accurate nursing assessment regularly allows the nursing staff to manage the patient’s pain and prevent complications. In emergency trauma care, basics include triage, assessment and maintaining th...

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Recommended Resources

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References and Sources