NCLEX Questions: Musculoskeletal
Trama and Orthopedic Surgery Correct
Questions & Answers!!
When teaching seniors at a community recreation center, which information will the
nurse include about ways to prevent fractures?
a. Tack down scatter rugs in the home.
b. Most falls happen outside the home.
c. Buy shoes that provide good support and are comfortable to wear.
d. Range-of-motion exercises should be taught by a physical therapist. -
ANSWERANS: C
Comfortable shoes with good support will help decrease the risk for falls. Scatter
rugs should be eliminated, not just tacked down. Activities of daily living provide
range of motion exercise; these do not need to be taught by a physical therapist.
Falls inside the home are responsible for many injuries
A factory line worker has repetitive strain syndrome in the left elbow. The nurse will
plan to teach the patient about
a. surgical options.
b. elbow injections.
c. wearing a left wrist splint.
d. modifying arm movements. - ANSWERANS: D
Treatment for repetitive strain syndrome includes changing the ergonomics of the
activity. Elbow injections and surgery are not initial options for this type of injury. A
wrist splint might be used for hand or wrist pain.
The occupational health nurse will teach the patient whose job involves many hours
of typing about the need to
a. obtain a keyboard pad to support the wrist.
b. do stretching exercises before starting work.
c. wrap the wrists with compression bandages every morning.
d. avoid using nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain. -
ANSWERANS: A
Repetitive strain injuries caused by prolonged times working at a keyboard can be
prevented by the use of a pad that will keep the wrists in a straight position.
Stretching exercises during the day may be helpful, but these would not be needed
before starting. Use of a compression bandage is not needed, although a splint may
be used for carpal tunnel syndrome. NSAIDs are appropriate to use to decrease
swelling.
Which discharge instruction will the emergency department nurse include for a
patient with a sprained ankle?
a. Keep the ankle loosely wrapped with gauze.
b. Apply a heating pad to reduce muscle spasms.
c. Use pillows to elevate the ankle above the heart.
d. Gently move the ankle through the range of motion. - ANSWERANS: C
, Elevation of the leg will reduce the amount of swelling and pain. Compression
bandages are used to decrease swelling. For the first 24 to 48 hours, cold packs are
used to reduce swelling. The ankle should be rested and kept immobile to prevent
further swelling or injury.
A 22-year-old tennis player has an arthroscopic repair of a rotator cuff injury
performed in same-day surgery. When the nurse plans postoperative teaching for
the patient, which information will be included?
a. "You will not be able to serve a tennis ball again."
b. "You will work with a physical therapist tomorrow."
c. "The doctor will use the drop-arm test to determine the success of surgery."
d. "Leave the shoulder immobilizer on for the first 4 days to minimize pain." -
ANSWERANS: B
Physical therapy after a rotator cuff repair begins on the first postoperative day to
prevent "frozen shoulder." A shoulder immobilizer is used immediately after the
surgery, but leaving the arm immobilized for several days would lead to loss of range
of motion (ROM). The drop-arm test is used to test for rotator cuff injury, but not after
surgery. The patient may be able to return to pitching after rehabilitation.
The nurse will instruct the patient with a fractured left radius that the cast will need to
remain in place
a. for several months.
b. for at least 3 weeks.
c. until swelling of the wrist has resolved.
d. until x-rays show complete bony union. - ANSWERANS: B
Bone healing starts immediately after the injury, but since ossification does not begin
until 3 weeks postinjury, the cast will need to be worn for at least 3 weeks. Complete
union may take up to a year. Resolution of swelling does not indicate bone healing.
A 48-year-old patient with a comminuted fracture of the left femur has Buck's traction
in place while waiting for surgery. To assess for pressure areas on the patient's back
and sacral area and to provide skin care, the nurse should
a. loosen the traction and help the patient turn onto the unaffected side.
b. place a pillow between the patient's legs and turn gently to each side.
c. turn the patient partially to each side with the assistance of another nurse.
d. have the patient lift the buttocks by bending and pushing with the right leg. -
ANSWERANS: D
The patient can lift the buttocks off the bed by using the left leg without changing the
right-leg alignment. Turning the patient will tend to move the leg out of alignment.
Disconnecting the traction will interrupt the weight needed to immobilize and align
the fracture.
Which nursing intervention will be included in the plan of care after a patient with a
right femur fracture has a hip spica cast applied?
a. Avoid placing the patient in prone position.
b. Ask the patient about abdominal discomfort.
c. Discuss remaining on bed rest for several weeks.
d. Use the cast support bar to reposition the patient. - ANSWERANS: B
Assessment of bowel sounds, abdominal pain, and nausea and vomiting will detect
the development of cast syndrome. To avoid breakage, the support bar should not
Trama and Orthopedic Surgery Correct
Questions & Answers!!
When teaching seniors at a community recreation center, which information will the
nurse include about ways to prevent fractures?
a. Tack down scatter rugs in the home.
b. Most falls happen outside the home.
c. Buy shoes that provide good support and are comfortable to wear.
d. Range-of-motion exercises should be taught by a physical therapist. -
ANSWERANS: C
Comfortable shoes with good support will help decrease the risk for falls. Scatter
rugs should be eliminated, not just tacked down. Activities of daily living provide
range of motion exercise; these do not need to be taught by a physical therapist.
Falls inside the home are responsible for many injuries
A factory line worker has repetitive strain syndrome in the left elbow. The nurse will
plan to teach the patient about
a. surgical options.
b. elbow injections.
c. wearing a left wrist splint.
d. modifying arm movements. - ANSWERANS: D
Treatment for repetitive strain syndrome includes changing the ergonomics of the
activity. Elbow injections and surgery are not initial options for this type of injury. A
wrist splint might be used for hand or wrist pain.
The occupational health nurse will teach the patient whose job involves many hours
of typing about the need to
a. obtain a keyboard pad to support the wrist.
b. do stretching exercises before starting work.
c. wrap the wrists with compression bandages every morning.
d. avoid using nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain. -
ANSWERANS: A
Repetitive strain injuries caused by prolonged times working at a keyboard can be
prevented by the use of a pad that will keep the wrists in a straight position.
Stretching exercises during the day may be helpful, but these would not be needed
before starting. Use of a compression bandage is not needed, although a splint may
be used for carpal tunnel syndrome. NSAIDs are appropriate to use to decrease
swelling.
Which discharge instruction will the emergency department nurse include for a
patient with a sprained ankle?
a. Keep the ankle loosely wrapped with gauze.
b. Apply a heating pad to reduce muscle spasms.
c. Use pillows to elevate the ankle above the heart.
d. Gently move the ankle through the range of motion. - ANSWERANS: C
, Elevation of the leg will reduce the amount of swelling and pain. Compression
bandages are used to decrease swelling. For the first 24 to 48 hours, cold packs are
used to reduce swelling. The ankle should be rested and kept immobile to prevent
further swelling or injury.
A 22-year-old tennis player has an arthroscopic repair of a rotator cuff injury
performed in same-day surgery. When the nurse plans postoperative teaching for
the patient, which information will be included?
a. "You will not be able to serve a tennis ball again."
b. "You will work with a physical therapist tomorrow."
c. "The doctor will use the drop-arm test to determine the success of surgery."
d. "Leave the shoulder immobilizer on for the first 4 days to minimize pain." -
ANSWERANS: B
Physical therapy after a rotator cuff repair begins on the first postoperative day to
prevent "frozen shoulder." A shoulder immobilizer is used immediately after the
surgery, but leaving the arm immobilized for several days would lead to loss of range
of motion (ROM). The drop-arm test is used to test for rotator cuff injury, but not after
surgery. The patient may be able to return to pitching after rehabilitation.
The nurse will instruct the patient with a fractured left radius that the cast will need to
remain in place
a. for several months.
b. for at least 3 weeks.
c. until swelling of the wrist has resolved.
d. until x-rays show complete bony union. - ANSWERANS: B
Bone healing starts immediately after the injury, but since ossification does not begin
until 3 weeks postinjury, the cast will need to be worn for at least 3 weeks. Complete
union may take up to a year. Resolution of swelling does not indicate bone healing.
A 48-year-old patient with a comminuted fracture of the left femur has Buck's traction
in place while waiting for surgery. To assess for pressure areas on the patient's back
and sacral area and to provide skin care, the nurse should
a. loosen the traction and help the patient turn onto the unaffected side.
b. place a pillow between the patient's legs and turn gently to each side.
c. turn the patient partially to each side with the assistance of another nurse.
d. have the patient lift the buttocks by bending and pushing with the right leg. -
ANSWERANS: D
The patient can lift the buttocks off the bed by using the left leg without changing the
right-leg alignment. Turning the patient will tend to move the leg out of alignment.
Disconnecting the traction will interrupt the weight needed to immobilize and align
the fracture.
Which nursing intervention will be included in the plan of care after a patient with a
right femur fracture has a hip spica cast applied?
a. Avoid placing the patient in prone position.
b. Ask the patient about abdominal discomfort.
c. Discuss remaining on bed rest for several weeks.
d. Use the cast support bar to reposition the patient. - ANSWERANS: B
Assessment of bowel sounds, abdominal pain, and nausea and vomiting will detect
the development of cast syndrome. To avoid breakage, the support bar should not
