NUR 353 Exam 4 Questions with Verified
Correct Answers
The state or quality of being mobile or movable
Mobility
The state of not moving; motionless, not being able to move
Immobility
A term that encompasses similar concepts and includes nursing diagnoses related to
inactivity. Risks for this include impaired skin integrity, constipation, altered
respiratory function, altered peripheral tissue perfusion, activity intolerance, impaired
physical mobility, injury, altered sensory perception, powerlessness, and body image
disturbance.
Disuse syndrome
A general downslide of overall physical strength and endurance. Although most patients
might have a tweak of this after a big surgery or major illness, this term is usually
applied when a formerly independent, or mostly independent, person is now not able to
perform routine activities, like their ADLs, and IADLs, and their progress continues to
decline.
Deconditioned
List two screening tools to detect mobility/immobility.
1. Osteoporosis
2. Fall risk assessment
When should fall assessment screening tools be used?
,Look in Giddens
List some general care guidelines for a patient who is immobilized.
1. Frequent turning and changing positions every 2 hours in bed or 30 minutes in a chair.
2. Frequent skin assessment and skin care.
3. Range of motion exercises
4. Deep breathing exercises
5. Weight bearing exercises if possible
5. Measures to optimize elimination, such as high fluids, high fiber, and laxatives or stool
softeners.
6. Ambulation, stretches, balance
What should you give to a patient before moving around to decrease pain when moving
their joints?
Anti-inflammatory and pain medications
A disruption or break in the continuity of bone
Fracture
The break goes completely through the bone
Complete fracture
Occurs partly across a bone shaft but the bone is still intact
Incomplete fracture
Describe the metabolic changes that occur with immobility.
1. Decreases metabolic rate, altering the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins
2. Fluid, electrolyte and calcium imbalances
,3. Decreased appetite
4. Slowed peristalsis
5. Endocrine system is altered
6. Hypercalcemia, calcium is released from the bones in immobile patients, which can cause
pathologic fractures because there is not enough calcium in the bones!
You are caring for a patient who is immobile. Which of the following electrolyte
imbalances would you expect in a patient who has been immobile?
a. Hypercalcemia
b. Hypokalemia
c. Hyponatremia
d. Hypermagnesemia
A (In immobile people, calcium is released from their bones into their blood stream.
Normally, your kidneys will excrete this calcium but if they are unable to respond
appropriately, hypercalcemia results.)
List some gastrointestinal impairments caused by decreased mobility.
1. Constipation
2. Fluid intake decreases, risk for dehydration
3. Anorexia
List two respiratory changes that occur with immobility.
1. Atelectasis (Collapse of alveoli)
2. Hypostatic pneumonia (Inflammation of the lung from stasis or pooling of secretions)
List three cardiovascular changes that occur with immobility.
, 1. Orthostatic hypotension
2. Thrombus formation
3. Decreased cardiac output, resulting in increased workload
List some musculoskeletal changes associated with immobility. (6)
1. Loss of endurance, strength and muscle mass and decreased stability and balance
2. Decreased muscle mass
3. Joint abnormalities (contractures--From muscle disuse, atrophy and shortening of the
muscle fibers)
4. Disuse osteoporosis (Osteoporosis from immobility)
5. Pathological fractures from disuse osteoporosis
6. Impaired calcium metabolism
List 3 urinary complications associated with immobility.
1. Urinary stasis from lack of gravity pulling the urine from the renal pelvis into the ureters to
the bladder.
2. UTIs from urinary stasis
3. Renal calculi from hypercalcemia
List one integumentary complication associated with immobility.
Pressure ulcers
List some psychosocial effects seen with immobility.
1. Social isolation
2. Helplessness
3. Loneliness
4. Depression
Correct Answers
The state or quality of being mobile or movable
Mobility
The state of not moving; motionless, not being able to move
Immobility
A term that encompasses similar concepts and includes nursing diagnoses related to
inactivity. Risks for this include impaired skin integrity, constipation, altered
respiratory function, altered peripheral tissue perfusion, activity intolerance, impaired
physical mobility, injury, altered sensory perception, powerlessness, and body image
disturbance.
Disuse syndrome
A general downslide of overall physical strength and endurance. Although most patients
might have a tweak of this after a big surgery or major illness, this term is usually
applied when a formerly independent, or mostly independent, person is now not able to
perform routine activities, like their ADLs, and IADLs, and their progress continues to
decline.
Deconditioned
List two screening tools to detect mobility/immobility.
1. Osteoporosis
2. Fall risk assessment
When should fall assessment screening tools be used?
,Look in Giddens
List some general care guidelines for a patient who is immobilized.
1. Frequent turning and changing positions every 2 hours in bed or 30 minutes in a chair.
2. Frequent skin assessment and skin care.
3. Range of motion exercises
4. Deep breathing exercises
5. Weight bearing exercises if possible
5. Measures to optimize elimination, such as high fluids, high fiber, and laxatives or stool
softeners.
6. Ambulation, stretches, balance
What should you give to a patient before moving around to decrease pain when moving
their joints?
Anti-inflammatory and pain medications
A disruption or break in the continuity of bone
Fracture
The break goes completely through the bone
Complete fracture
Occurs partly across a bone shaft but the bone is still intact
Incomplete fracture
Describe the metabolic changes that occur with immobility.
1. Decreases metabolic rate, altering the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins
2. Fluid, electrolyte and calcium imbalances
,3. Decreased appetite
4. Slowed peristalsis
5. Endocrine system is altered
6. Hypercalcemia, calcium is released from the bones in immobile patients, which can cause
pathologic fractures because there is not enough calcium in the bones!
You are caring for a patient who is immobile. Which of the following electrolyte
imbalances would you expect in a patient who has been immobile?
a. Hypercalcemia
b. Hypokalemia
c. Hyponatremia
d. Hypermagnesemia
A (In immobile people, calcium is released from their bones into their blood stream.
Normally, your kidneys will excrete this calcium but if they are unable to respond
appropriately, hypercalcemia results.)
List some gastrointestinal impairments caused by decreased mobility.
1. Constipation
2. Fluid intake decreases, risk for dehydration
3. Anorexia
List two respiratory changes that occur with immobility.
1. Atelectasis (Collapse of alveoli)
2. Hypostatic pneumonia (Inflammation of the lung from stasis or pooling of secretions)
List three cardiovascular changes that occur with immobility.
, 1. Orthostatic hypotension
2. Thrombus formation
3. Decreased cardiac output, resulting in increased workload
List some musculoskeletal changes associated with immobility. (6)
1. Loss of endurance, strength and muscle mass and decreased stability and balance
2. Decreased muscle mass
3. Joint abnormalities (contractures--From muscle disuse, atrophy and shortening of the
muscle fibers)
4. Disuse osteoporosis (Osteoporosis from immobility)
5. Pathological fractures from disuse osteoporosis
6. Impaired calcium metabolism
List 3 urinary complications associated with immobility.
1. Urinary stasis from lack of gravity pulling the urine from the renal pelvis into the ureters to
the bladder.
2. UTIs from urinary stasis
3. Renal calculi from hypercalcemia
List one integumentary complication associated with immobility.
Pressure ulcers
List some psychosocial effects seen with immobility.
1. Social isolation
2. Helplessness
3. Loneliness
4. Depression
