Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct Questions and Solutions
Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct
Questions and Solutions
Name 2 biological, 3 extrinsic, and 1 behavioral factor that can predispose a patient to a fracture.
- Correct Answer- Biological:
1) Age: bone structure becomes less dense/more susceptible to injury
2) Type of bone involved: some are better equipped to handle difference stresses and forces
without injury
Extrinsic:
1) Amount of force applied
2) Angle of force applied
3) Duration of force
Behavioral:
1) Participating in adrenalin-seeking activities such as skydiving, rock-climbing, motor cross
Describe nursing instructions that may be given to a patient in a cast. - Correct Answer- 1) Cast
should be kept dry.
2) Monitor the skin areas at the end of the cast.
3) Never stick anything into or under the cast to scratch or itch.
4) Alert medical care in case of tightness or increasing pain, numbness, color change, or
temperature change in areas of distal ends of cast.
5) Follow up if cast gets loose or cracks.
What is the basic anatomy of a long bone? - Correct Answer- Typically has two main
components:
1
,Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct Questions and Solutions
1) Diaphysis - makes up long shaft of bone. Outer portion is made of compact bone. Inner layer
is made of marrow.
2) Epiphyses - set at either end of long bone. Outer layer is compact bone and inner core is
spongy bone.
Periosteum - membrane that lines both externally. - contains supply of nerve fibers, lymph, blood
vessels
Give examples of tapping fracture and penetrating fracture. - Correct Answer- 1) Tapping -
sustained from a small force to a concentrated area. Bone will absorb this force - may or may not
be mild soft tissue display of injury.
EX: fracture of forearm when blocking a hit with a fist or bat; being kicked in lower leg
2) Penetrating - caused by large amount of force on small area. Object of force is usually small
and soft tissue involvement is minimal.
EX: stab wound, gunshot wound
Different from crush wound because object of force is much larger.
List several factor that determine fracture-healing outcome. - Correct Answer- 1) Skeletal
maturity decreases healing.
- Immature skeleton increases rate and success of healing.
2) Single bone fracture has better prognosis than multi-bone fracture.
3) Big displacement that affect surrounding tissues requires more healing time.
4) Thoracic spine injury heals better than unstable lumbar/cervical spine injuries.
5) Fracture of joint surfaces are more unstable/difficult to treat.
6) Fracture with nearby unaffected support bone has good prognosis - acts as natural splint.
2
, Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct Questions and Solutions
Differentiate between linear, oblique, and transverse fractures. - Correct Answer- LINEAR: the
fracture forms a straight line through the bone; doesn't tell if fracture line is angled or horizontal;
a linear can be oblique or transverse
OBLIQUE: fracture line that travels at an angle through the bone
TRANSVERSE: break that travels in a horizontal line through the bone.
Don't ever just say a fracture line is linear - differentiate with oblique or transverse.
Describe/give examples of following bony injuries. - Correct Answer- 1) CRUSH - caused by
large stress on a small area; results in multiple break lines and severe soft tissue damage; EX:
sledgehammer coming down on a finger or heavy suspended mass falling on foot or leg
2) COMPRESSION - happens with large axial loading force; most often in vertebrae; EX:
landing on feet or butt, fall from a moderate height
3) STRESS - not sustained by one-time incident but instead with repetitive activity that stresses a
normal bone over time
Differences between plaster of Paris and fiberglass casting. - Correct Answer- PLASTER OF
PARIS: slightly cheaper, molds well but is heavier and has longer drying time/setting; not ideal
for kids in an outpatient setting/upper extremity injury
FIBERGLASS: more expensive, comes in different colors, molds well, lightweight, drying time
is as little as 5 minutes, more water resistant; BUT edges are more abrasive and they tend to be
hotter
How to choose? - cost, physician comfort/familiarity, joint being immobilized, injury being
treated & patient type
3
Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct
Questions and Solutions
Name 2 biological, 3 extrinsic, and 1 behavioral factor that can predispose a patient to a fracture.
- Correct Answer- Biological:
1) Age: bone structure becomes less dense/more susceptible to injury
2) Type of bone involved: some are better equipped to handle difference stresses and forces
without injury
Extrinsic:
1) Amount of force applied
2) Angle of force applied
3) Duration of force
Behavioral:
1) Participating in adrenalin-seeking activities such as skydiving, rock-climbing, motor cross
Describe nursing instructions that may be given to a patient in a cast. - Correct Answer- 1) Cast
should be kept dry.
2) Monitor the skin areas at the end of the cast.
3) Never stick anything into or under the cast to scratch or itch.
4) Alert medical care in case of tightness or increasing pain, numbness, color change, or
temperature change in areas of distal ends of cast.
5) Follow up if cast gets loose or cracks.
What is the basic anatomy of a long bone? - Correct Answer- Typically has two main
components:
1
,Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct Questions and Solutions
1) Diaphysis - makes up long shaft of bone. Outer portion is made of compact bone. Inner layer
is made of marrow.
2) Epiphyses - set at either end of long bone. Outer layer is compact bone and inner core is
spongy bone.
Periosteum - membrane that lines both externally. - contains supply of nerve fibers, lymph, blood
vessels
Give examples of tapping fracture and penetrating fracture. - Correct Answer- 1) Tapping -
sustained from a small force to a concentrated area. Bone will absorb this force - may or may not
be mild soft tissue display of injury.
EX: fracture of forearm when blocking a hit with a fist or bat; being kicked in lower leg
2) Penetrating - caused by large amount of force on small area. Object of force is usually small
and soft tissue involvement is minimal.
EX: stab wound, gunshot wound
Different from crush wound because object of force is much larger.
List several factor that determine fracture-healing outcome. - Correct Answer- 1) Skeletal
maturity decreases healing.
- Immature skeleton increases rate and success of healing.
2) Single bone fracture has better prognosis than multi-bone fracture.
3) Big displacement that affect surrounding tissues requires more healing time.
4) Thoracic spine injury heals better than unstable lumbar/cervical spine injuries.
5) Fracture of joint surfaces are more unstable/difficult to treat.
6) Fracture with nearby unaffected support bone has good prognosis - acts as natural splint.
2
, Orthopedic Nurse Certification Exam with 100% Correct Questions and Solutions
Differentiate between linear, oblique, and transverse fractures. - Correct Answer- LINEAR: the
fracture forms a straight line through the bone; doesn't tell if fracture line is angled or horizontal;
a linear can be oblique or transverse
OBLIQUE: fracture line that travels at an angle through the bone
TRANSVERSE: break that travels in a horizontal line through the bone.
Don't ever just say a fracture line is linear - differentiate with oblique or transverse.
Describe/give examples of following bony injuries. - Correct Answer- 1) CRUSH - caused by
large stress on a small area; results in multiple break lines and severe soft tissue damage; EX:
sledgehammer coming down on a finger or heavy suspended mass falling on foot or leg
2) COMPRESSION - happens with large axial loading force; most often in vertebrae; EX:
landing on feet or butt, fall from a moderate height
3) STRESS - not sustained by one-time incident but instead with repetitive activity that stresses a
normal bone over time
Differences between plaster of Paris and fiberglass casting. - Correct Answer- PLASTER OF
PARIS: slightly cheaper, molds well but is heavier and has longer drying time/setting; not ideal
for kids in an outpatient setting/upper extremity injury
FIBERGLASS: more expensive, comes in different colors, molds well, lightweight, drying time
is as little as 5 minutes, more water resistant; BUT edges are more abrasive and they tend to be
hotter
How to choose? - cost, physician comfort/familiarity, joint being immobilized, injury being
treated & patient type
3
