Musculoskeletal

While implementing the positive drop arm test, the nurse observes that the arm of the patient falls to one side. Which signs and symptoms does the nurse expect in the patient? Pain during abduction Limited range of motion Restricted forward flexion Difficulty in reaching overhead Muscle spasm during abduction

A group of four tendons forms a rotator cuff that holds the arm in place and helps move the arm in different directions. Abrupt stress on the shoulder may cause a tear or swelling in the tendons of the rotator cuff. Severe pain occurs during the abduction of the shoulder, which may result in a limited range of motion. Overhead activities increase stress on the shoulder and increase pain; due to more stress on the shoulder, muscle spasms may occur. The forward flexion will be normal in the patient with rotator cuff tears.

During an assessment, the nurse finds that a child has genu varum (bowlegs). Which finding in the patient enabled the nurse to make such a conclusion?

A persistent space of more than 2.5 cm between the knees when the medial malleoli are together indicates genu varum, or bowlegs. Therefore, the distance of 3 cm indicates genu varum in the child. A distance of 2 cm between the medial malleoli when the knees are together is a normal finding, and it does not indicate any deformity. The child with genu valgum or knock-knees may have a distance of 3 cm between the medial malleoli when the knees are together. A distance of 2 cm between the knees when the medial malleoli are together does not indicate any structural deformity in the child and is a normal finding.

The nurse is assessing the spine of an obese patient. What change may the nurse observe in the spine of the patient? Lordosis Kyphosis Tinel sign Bulge sign

A pronounced lumbar curve or lordosis is a prominent finding in an obese patient due to the extra body weight.

While performing the McMurray test on a patient who has swelling at the knee joint, the nurse feels a click. Which complication does the nurse suspect in the patient? Scoliosis Hallux valgus Torn meniscus Carpal tunnel syndrome

A torn meniscus is damage to the cartilage present at the knee joint. This may cause swelling and pain at the site. The nurse holds the heel of the patient and asks the patient to flex the knee and hip. A positive McMurray test or a click sound while performing the McMurray test indicates a torn meniscus.

Which patients are at high risk for developing acute gout? The patient with a skin disease The patient with muscle atrophy The patient with metabolic syndrome The patient with vitamin A deficiency The patient with increased body weight

Acute gout refers to the chronic arthritis that occurs due to elevated levels of uric acid. The altered metabolic status of a patient with metabolic syndrome may lead to an increase in uric acid levels, resulting in acute gout. Obesity may also lead to an alteration in uric acid metabolism; therefore, obesity may also result in acute gout.

Which condition does the nurse expect in a patient who is on prolonged bed rest? Adhesive capsulitis Tear of rotator cuff Dislocated shoulder Subacromial bursitis

Adhesive capsulitis refers to the formation of fibrous tissues in the joint capsule, resulting in stiffness, progressive limitation of motion, and pain. It is associated with prolonged bed rest resulting in shoulder immobility for longer periods.

Which nursing intervention helps the nurse assess the trigeminal nerve? Ask the patient to close the eyes. Ask the patient to shrug the shoulders. Ask the patient to touch the chest with the chin. Ask the patient to move the jaw forward and laterally.

Ask the patient to move the jaw forward and laterally.

After an assessment, the nurse finds that a patient has fair muscle strength and the muscles are at 50% normal condition. What was the nurse's finding? Full range of motion with gravity Full range of motion with gravity eliminated Full range of motion against gravity and full resistance Full range of motion against gravity and some resistance

Full range of motion with gravity indicates fair muscle strength and 50% normal condition. Full range of motion with gravity eliminated indicates poor muscle strength, and the muscles are said to be 25% normal. Full range of motion against gravity and full resistance indicates that the muscles are 100% normal, and the patient has normal muscle strength. Full range of motion against gravity and some resistance indicates good muscle strength and 75% normal condition.

During the assessment of a patient, the nurse finds that the distal part of the great toe is directed away from the body's midline. Which complication is present in the patient? Polydactyly Crepitation Hallux valgus Carpal tunnel syndrome

Generally, the toes point straight forward and lie flat. Hallux valgus is a deformity in which the great toe deviates away from the medial prominence of the head of the first metatarsal

What are signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? Multiple selection question Fatigue Tingling Numbness Weight loss Low-grade fever

Inflammation of the synovial tissues and hyperplasia occur in the patient with rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease. Increased cytokine production in the patient with rheumatoid arthritis may lead to an increase in the basal metabolic rate. This increases caloric needs in the patient. Therefore, the patient may have fatigue and weight loss.

While assessing a patient with knee pain, the nurse learns that the pain is worse in the afternoon than in the morning. Which condition does the nurse suspect? Tendinitis Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Ankylosing spondylitis

Joint pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem. The pain of osteoarthritis worsens due to movement, which explains why it increases later in the day.

The nurse is performing a musculoskeletal assessment. The nurse concludes that the patient has inflammation in the knee joints. What are the findings that led the nurse to this conclusion? The patient is unable to walk. The joint feels tender on palpation. The joint feels warm to the touch. The nurse hears an audible crunching sound. The patient's knees jerk forward when tapped on the knee joint.

Joints normally are not tender to palpation. An inflamed joint feels tender on palpation. An inflamed joint will feel warm to the touch because heat is generated during inflammation.

The nurse is caring for a patient who has numbness on one side of the spine and decreased function of the left leg. During the physical examination, the nurse observes that the patient has lateral tilting and forward bending of the spine. Which test helps the nurse assess the patient's condition? Phalen test Thomas test Lasegue test Forward bending test

Numbness on one side of the spine and decreased function of the leg indicate sciatic pain in the patient. The patient with a herniated nucleus pulposus or sciatic pain may have lateral tilting and forward bending of the spine. The Lasegue test helps determine the presence of a herniated nucleus pulposus in the patient; the patient with this condition will have pain while lifting the leg.

The nurse is caring for an adolescent who reports severe pain below the knees while playing soccer. After reviewing the diagnostic reports, the nurse finds that the patient has swelling of the tibial tubercle. Which is the best nursing intervention in this situation? Instruct the adolescent to avoid playing soccer. Engage the adolescent in regular physical exercise. Encourage the adolescent to eat calcium-rich foods. Instruct the adolescent to take a break from soccer for a while.

Osgood-Schlatter disease refers to the inflammation of the patellar ligament present at the tibial tuberosity or below the knee. Painful swelling of the tibial tubercles indicates that the adolescent has Osgood-Schlatter disease. This occurs due to repeated stress on the muscles around the knee joint, leading to an inflammation of the patellar ligament at the tibial tuberosity. Osgood-Schlatter disease is common in males after puberty, and the symptoms may resolve with rest. Therefore, the nurse instructs the adolescent to take a break from soccer for awhile.

The nurse is preparing a teaching plan for a patient education class on osteoporosis for aged adults. What should the nurse include in the teaching plan? Osteoporosis occurs due to calcium deficiency. Osteoporosis occurs more in very tall individuals. Osteoporosis occurs due to deficiency of vitamin D. Osteoporosis occurs in women due to oversecretion of estrogen. Osteoporosis occurs primarily in postmenopausal, fair-skinned women.

Postmenopausal, fair-skinned women are genetically more predisposed to osteoporosis. Deficiency of calcium causes osteoporosis. Prevention of osteoporosis requires promotion of proper diet, including calcium and vitamin D, as well as a balanced diet and consistent exercise regimen. Vitamin D deficiency is a major contributor to osteoporosis. Vitamin D is synthesized in the human body in the presence of adequate sunlight. People of short stature and with less body mass are at a higher risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is common in postmenopausal women due to the decrease of estrogen after menopause.

Which joint facilitates pronation and supination movements of the hand and the forearm? Tibiotalar joint Radioulnar joint Radiocarpal joint Glenohumeral joint

Pronation is turning the forearm so that the palm faces down. Supination is turning the forearm so that the palm faces up. The elbow joint consists of three bones: the humerus, radius, and ulna. The radius and ulna articulate with one another at two radioulnar joints: one at the elbow and the other at the wrist. Both the radius and ulna move together and permit the pronation and supination movements of the hand and the forearm.

The nurse is caring for an infant with unequal gluteal folds. While assessing, the nurse finds that the infant has positive Ortolani and Barlow signs. Which other findings would the nurse observe in the infant? Lateral tilt of the spine Limited abduction of the thighs Downward pointing of the foot Difference in length of the limbs Less flexibility on the affected side

The Ortolani and Barlow maneuvers help detect hip dislocation. The nurse may hear a clunk sound during the Ortolani test in the case of hip dislocation. The Barlow test involves a downward force during the abduction of the hip. Palpable movement during this test indicates a hip dislocation. An early sign of congenital hip dislocation is the presence of unequal gluteal folds. Abduction of the thighs is limited due to the displacement of the femoral head from the cup-shaped acetabulum. The limbs may be of different lengths in the infant who has hip dislocation, and the infant may have limited movement and flexibility on the affected side because of this. Lateral tilt of the spine may occur in case of herniated nucleus pulposus, but not hip dislocation. Downward pointing feet characterize talipes equinovarus in the infant.

Which disease conditions are associated with hard, nontender Heberden and Bouchard nodules? Scoliosis Osteoporosis Osteoarthritis Carpal tunnel syndrome

The bony outgrowths of distal interphalangeal joints are called Heberden nodes, and the bony outgrowths of proximal interphalangeal joints are called Bouchard nodes. Osteoarthritis is characterized by hard, nontender Heberden and Bouchard nodules.

Which tests would the nurse perform to detect the presence of fluid inside the knee joint? Multiple selection question Phalen test Thomas test Bulge sign test McMurray test Ballottement test

The bulge sign test and the ballottement test of the patella help determine the presence of fluid in the suprapatellar pouch of the knee joint. While performing the bulge sign test, the nurse tries to move the fluid in the knee joint from one side to the other. This helps the nurse detect the presence of small amounts of fluids in the suprapatellar pouch. The nurse compresses the suprapatellar pouch with the left hand while performing the ballottement of the patella test. This test helps detect the accumulation of large amounts of fluids in the knee joint

The nurse is assessing the integrity of the spinal accessory nerve (cranial nerve XI). What should the nurse ask the patient to do? Shrug the shoulders Touch chin toward each shoulder Stick out the lower jaw Lift the chin toward the ceiling

The integrity of the spinal accessory nerve (cranial nerve XI) is checked by asking the patient to shrug the shoulders. Touching the chin toward each shoulder and lifting the chin toward the ceiling test the function of the cervical spine. Sticking out the lower jaw checks the proper functioning of the temporomandibular joint.

During an assessment, the nurse expects that the patient had a strain in the lateral ligament of the knee. Which injury may have led to this finding? Multiple choice question Injury due to pivoting Injury inside the knee Injury outside the knee Injury due to an abrupt twisting

The lateral ligament is present on the outside of the knee, and it supports movement of the knee joint. Any injury outside the knee may strain the lateral ligament of this knee joint.

While assessing a patient, the nurse begins palpation on the anterior thigh about 10 cm from the patella. The nurse then proceeds toward the knee, exploring the region of the suprapatellar pouch of the patient. For what is the nurse assessing with this technique? The nurse is assessing for crepitation. The nurse is assessing for a plantar wart. The nurse is assessing for subcutaneous nodules. The nurse is assessing for atrophy in the quadriceps muscles.

The quadriceps muscle in the anterior thigh is checked for atrophy of the muscles in the knee. The process involves palpating high, about 10 cm above the patella on the anterior thigh. The left thumb and the fingers are used while palpating. The nurse should proceed down the knee, exploring the region of the suprapatellar pouch

While performing a head-to-toe assessment on a patient, the nurse instructs the patient to rest in a supine position. The nurse tells the patient, "Raise each leg and extend your knees." What is the nurse focusing on in this part of the assessment? The hips The knees The shoulders The cervical spine

This portion of the assessment is focusing mainly on the hips. To check the flexion of hips, the patient first needs to rest in a supine position and then raise each leg and extend the knees.

While assessing a patient, the nurse firmly strokes the medial aspect of the knee two to three times and taps the lateral aspect of the knee. What does the nurse learn from this assessment technique? Doing a Phalen test Checking for bulge sign Looking for the Tinel sign Checking ballottement of the patella

To assess swelling in the suprapatellar pouch, the nurse will check for the bulge sign that confirms the presence of small amounts of fluid as the nurse tries to move the fluid from one side of the joint to the other. To detect large amounts of fluid in the patellar region, ballottement of the patella is a reliable test. The left hand helps compress the suprapatellar pouch to move any fluid into the knee joint. The right hand helps push the patella sharply against the femur.

What characteristic feature does the nurse observe in a The child tends to walk with a waddling gait. The child takes a broad-based stance while standing. The child tends to walk on the lateral side of the foot. The child stands with the ankles apart and the knees touching.

"Pigeon toes" is a condition in which the toes point inward while walking. Therefore, the child with "pigeon toes" tends to walk on the lateral side of the foot, and the longitudinal arch appears higher than normal. The child with genu varum tends to walk with a waddling gait. The child with "flatfeet" takes a broad-based stance. The child with genu valgum tends to stand with ankles apart and the knees touching.

Which conditions result in the decrease in height in older people? . Closure of epiphysis Loss of bone matrix Thinning of intervertebral disks Shortening of long bones of the legs Loss of bone matrix in the vertebrae

A decrease in an individual's height occurs with aging. Osteoporosis results due to the loss of bone matrix, which decreases the height of the vertebrae, and which ultimately decreases the height in older people. Thinning of the intervertebral discs occurs due to the loss of mineral content that comes with aging; this also results in shortening of the vertebral column. Decreased height is caused by shortening of the vertebral column resulting from the decrease in bone matrix.

A patient who has kyphosis reports constant pain and stiffness in the lower back, buttocks, and hips. The nurse, after palpating the spinous processes, observes spasms. Which condition does the nurse expect in the patient? Multiple choice question Ankylosing spondylitis Dupuytren contracture Carpal tunnel syndrome Osgood-Schlatter disease

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which the inflamed vertebrae are fused. Paraspinal muscle spasm is the characteristic finding of ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis may cause kyphosis of the thoracic curve and results in flexion deformities of hips and knees; it may also cause pain and stiffness in the lower back, buttocks, and hips.

Which deformity involves stiffness of the joints? Ankylosis Dislocation Subluxation Contracture

Ankylosis refers to the stiffness of the joints following an injury or a disease.

What are the different functions of cartilage? Cushioning the bones Providing stability Covering the surface of the bone Nourishing the synovial fluid Smoothing the surface of the bone

Cartilage is connective tissue that covers the surface of opposing bones in synovial joints. It cushions the bone, aiding in movement and providing stability to the musculoskeletal structure. Cartilage also smooths the surface of the bone, facilitating movement. Cartilage receives nourishment from the synovial fluid during joint movement and does not provide nourishment for the synovial fluid.

The nurse is caring for a patient who has rheumatoid arthritis. While performing a musculoskeletal assessment, the nurse hears a crunching or grating sound that accompanies movement of the joints. Which term will the nurse use to describe this finding? Ankylosis Crepitation Dislocation Subluxation

Crepitation is an audible and palpable crunching or grating sound associated with movement. In diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, the articular surfaces in the joints become rough and the synovium becomes inflamed, causing crunching or crepitation.

The nurse is caring for a patient with impaired hand function. During the assessment, the nurse finds chronic hyperplasia of the palmar fascia. Which complication does the nurse expect in the patient? Ankylosis Ganglion cyst Dupuytren contracture Carpal tunnel syndrome

Dupuytren contracture manifests as flexion contractures of the digits due to hyperplasia of the palmar fascia. The contracture impairs the hand function, but does not cause pain.

What does the nurse expect to observe in a patient with fibromyalgia? Raised right iliac crest Spasms of the paraspinal muscles Lateral tilting and bending of the spine Presence of the Heberden and Bouchard nodules

Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain on both sides of the body, above and below the waist, and in the axial skeleton. The nurse may find paraspinal spasms in the patient with fibromyalgia.

The nurse is caring for a patient who has been experiencing axial skeletal pain for 3 months and who reports mental confusion and forgetfulness. The nurse finds that the patient also has insomnia and fatigue. Which condition does the nurse anticipate in the patient? Scoliosis Achilles tenosynovitis Fibromyalgia syndrome Herniated nucleus pulposus

Fibromyalgia syndrome manifests as a widespread pain in the muscles. The patient with fibromyalgia syndrome may also have fatigue and insomnia along with the pain. This condition may cause psychosocial distress in the patient, leading to cognitive problems such as mental confusion and forgetfulness. Lateral curvature of the thoracic and lumbar segments of the spine indicates scoliosis in the patient; this patient will not necessarily have cognitive problems.

During an assessment, the nurse concludes that a patient has boutonnière deformity. Which finding in the patient supports the nurse's conclusion? Multiple choice question Flexion of distal interphalangeal joint Flexion of metacarpophalangeal joint Flexion of proximal interphalangeal joint Hyperextension of the proximal interphalangeal joint

In boutonnière deformity, the knuckle looks as if it is being pushed through a buttonhole. Flexion of the proximal interphalangeal joint and hyperextension of the distal interphalangeal joint accompany the boutonnière deformity.

What does the nurse tell a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome when performing the Phalen test? "Bend forward and touch your toes." "Flex your knee and hip to 90 degrees." "Hold your wrist in acute flexion for 60 seconds." "Rotate your arms to your back internally as high as possible."

In carpal tunnel syndrome, atrophy occurs in the median nerve of the wrist and the hand that causes pain, burning, and numbness. During the Phalen test, which is used to assess if a patient has carpal tunnel syndrome, the nurse asks the patient to hold the wrist in acute flexion for 60 seconds. The nurse should ask the patient to bend forward and touch his or her toes while checking the range of motion of the spine. The nurse should ask the patient to flex the knee and hip to 90 degrees while checking the range of motion of the hip. The nurse asks the patient to rotate the arms behind the back while checking the range of motion of the shoulders.

Which complication may occur due to a decrease in the blood supply to the femoral epiphysis? Spina bifida Talipes equinovarus Congenital dislocated hip Legg-Calve-Perthes syndrome

Inadequate blood supply to the femoral epiphysis may cause necrosis of the femoral head, resulting in Legg-Calve-Perthes syndrome, or coxa plana.

The nurse is caring for a geriatric patient who is at risk for osteoporosis. Which interventions should the nurse include in the patient's care plan? Instruct the patient to avoid soy milk. Encourage the patient to walk faster. Instruct the patient to avoid smoking. Encourage the patient to exercise regularly. Instruct the patient to limit the intake of fruit juices.

Loss of bone matrix may lead to osteoporosis in geriatric patients. The patient with osteoporosis is at high risk for fractures due to decreased bone strength. Fast walking helps prevent the risk of hip fracture in the patient who is at risk for osteoporosis. Smoking increases bone loss; therefore, the nurse instructs the patient to avoid smoking. Physical activity helps strengthen the muscles around the bones; this helps maintain balance and posture control. Therefore, the nurse encourages the patient to exercise regularly

The nurse asks a patient to move his or her arm away from the midline of the body. What is this angular motion called? Flexion Abduction Adduction Extension

Moving a limb away from the midline of the body is called abduction, so the nurse is asking the patient to perform abduction of the arm.

While assessing the muscles around the wrist joint of a patient, the nurse finds full range of motion against gravity and some resistance. Which grade should the nurse document in the patient's medical record? Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Muscle testing helps in assessing the strength of the muscles around the joints. The nurse documents the grade as 4 when there is full range of motion against gravity and some resistance. The nurse documents the grade as 1 when there is a very slight contraction. The nurse documents the full range of motion and passive motion as grade 2. Grade 3 indicates full range of motion with gravity and without resistance.

The nurse is caring for a patient who reports redness, swelling, and painful motion of the knee and ankle joints. While palpating, the nurse observes crepitation. What does the nurse infer from these findings? The patient may have osteoporosis. The patient may have osteoarthritis. The patient may have rheumatoid arthritis. The patient may have ankylosing spondylitis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by redness, swelling, and painful motion of the affected joints.

While assessing a patient with wrist dislocation, the nurse finds swan-neck deformity and ulnar deviation of the fingers in the patient. Which disease condition does the nurse expect in the patient? Osteoporosis Olecranon bursitis Achilles tenosynovitis Chronic rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis may lead to swan-neck deformity and ulnar deviation of the fingers. Swan-neck deformity refers to the flexion contracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint. Stretching of the articular capsule and muscle imbalance in the patient with rheumatoid arthritis may result in ulnar deviation of the fingers.

A parent explains, "My daughter doesn't stand properly because of a difference in the height of her shoulders." The nurse suspects structural scoliosis. Which finding supports the nurse's suspicion? Unequal lengths of the legs Limited arm range of motion Spasm of the paravertebral muscles Humping of the ribs on one side while bending

Structural scoliosis is fixed, and the child will have curvature while standing and also while bending. The difference in elevation of shoulders and the difference in height of the hips characterize scoliosis in the child. The forward bend test helps confirm this disorder. The child may have humping of the ribs on one side while bending due to the unequal elevation of the shoulders.

A parent explains, "My daughter doesn't stand properly because of a difference in the height of her shoulders." The nurse suspects structural scoliosis. Which finding supports the nurse's suspicion? Unequal lengths of the legs Limited arm range of motion Spasm of the paravertebral muscles Humping of the ribs on one side while bending

Structural scoliosis is fixed, and the child will have curvature while standing and also while bending. The difference in elevation of shoulders and the difference in height of the hips characterize scoliosis in the child. The forward bend test helps confirm this disorder. The child may have humping of the ribs on one side while bending due to the unequal elevation of the shoulders. Functional scoliosis is flexible. The child with functional scoliosis shows curvature only while standing, and the curvature disappears while bending. Unequal length of the legs may lead to functional scoliosis, but not structural scoliosis. Scoliosis might not alter the range of motion of the child's arms. Limited arm range of motion may occur in conditions such as fractures. Spasm of the paravertebral muscles occurs with fibromyalgia syndrome, but not scoliosis.

The nursing instructor is teaching a class on the types of joints. Which statement by the student nurse about synovial joints indicates effective learning? "Synovial joints are immovable and united by cartilage." "Synovial joints are freely movable and lined with synovial membranes." "Synovial joints are slightly movable, and the bones are joined with cartilage." "Synovial joints do not allow opposing surfaces to slide against one another."

Synovial joints are freely movable joints. The bones in a synovial joint are separated from each other and are enclosed in the synovial cavity with synovial fluid inside

Which characteristic feature indicates a positive Allis sign? Difference in the level of scapulae Burning sensation along the median nerve Presence of one knee lower than the other Presence of numbness while flexing the wrist

The Allis test helps in assessing for hip dislocation. The nurse performs this test by comparing the lengths of the legs; the presence of one knee lower than the other indicates a positive Allis sign

Which test helps in screening a child's fine and gross motor skills? Allis test Ortolani test Tinel sign test Denver II test

The Denver II test helps the nurse in screening a child's fine and gross motor skills. The nurse assesses the overall development of the child. The Allis test helps assess for hip dislocation. The Tinel sign test helps diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome. The Ortolani test helps assess developmental dysplasia of the hip.

Which test helps in assessing a flexion deformity of the patient's hip? Allis test Phalen test Thomas test McMurray test

The Thomas test is a leg-raising test that involves flexion of the hip joint; therefore, it helps determine hip flexion deformity in the patient.

Which food should the nurse include in the patient's diet to increase calcium levels? Milk Apple Banana Yogurt Cheese

The best source of calcium is dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese. Apple and banana are poor sources of calcium.

During an assessment, the nurse finds that a child has tibial torsion. Which findings enabled the nurse to reach this conclusion? Lateral rotation of the tibia is 10 degrees of deviation. The patella and the tibial tubercle are in a straight line. The lateral malleolus is anterior to the medial malleolus. Lateral rotation of the tibia is more than 20 degrees of deviation. The line connecting the four malleoli is parallel to the assessment table.

The lateral malleolus is longer than the medial malleolus in a typical patient. The presence of the lateral malleolus anterior to the medial malleolus indicates tibial torsion. Tibial torsion may alter the lateral rotation of the tibia by more than 20 degrees of deviation.

A patient is lying supine with the leg relaxed. The nurse slowly raises the foot, keeping the knee straight until the patient complains of pain, and then dorsiflexes the foot. What is the reason for this assessment technique? To check for scoliosis To check for knock knee To check for crepitation To check for a herniated nucleus pulposus

The nurse is checking for a herniated nucleus pulpous of the spine. The nurse performs a Lasègue test to assess for a herniated nucleus pulposus. The patient raises the leg just short of the point where it produces pain. If lifting the affected leg produces sciatic pain, it confirms the presence of a herniated nucleus pulposus.

An obese patient reports continuous throbbing pain in the foot. On assessment, the nurse finds that the patient has swelling, redness, and tender pain around the metatarsal-phalangeal joint. On reviewing the laboratory reports, the nurse finds the patient also has increased uric acid levels in the blood and urate crystals in the joint fluids. What does the nurse infer from the findings? The patient has scoliosis. The patient has acute gout. The patient has Achilles tenosynovitis. The patient has carpal tunnel syndrome.

The patient has acute gout.

While assessing a child with Down syndrome, the nurse finds webbing between the adjacent fingers of the palm. Which other findings would the nurse observe in the child? Polydactyly Hip dysplasia Simian crease Dermoid sinus

The simian crease is a palmar crease that extends across the palm and is a characteristic finding in Down syndrome. Syndactyly, or webbed fingers, may also occur in the child with Down syndrome.

Which condition involves the accumulation of sodium urate crystals in the joint space? Talipes equinovarus Achilles tenosynovitis Fibromyalgia syndrome Tophi with chronic gout

Tophi are collections of sodium urate crystals that appear in and around the joint. Tophi may appear in the joints of the patient with chronic gout.

The nurse is caring for an infant who has limited arm range of motion (ROM) and unilateral response to Moro reflex. While assessing the patient, the nurse finds a palpable lump on the neck. Which complication does the nurse expect in the infant? Scoliosis Dermoid sinus Fractured clavicle Osgood-Schlatter disease

When the infant experiences a sudden loss of support, the infant may feel like he or she is falling and abducts the arms, followed by adduction. This reflex is known as the Moro reflex. A fractured clavicle may result in the loss of this reflex in the affected side. Therefore, the infant shows a unilateral response to the Moro reflex. During the assessment, the clavicles should feel smooth, regular, and without crepitus. Limited arm ROM and a palpable lump on the neck indicate a fractured clavicle.

Which findings does the nurse expect in a patient who has tophi with chronic gout? Presence of swan-neck deformities Presence of spasms of paraspinal nerves Presence of swollen toe joints with white chalky discharge Presence of hard, nontender Heberden and Bouchard nodules

chronic gouty tophi is characterized by the presence of hard, painless nodules over the metatarsophalangeal joint of the first toe. Tophi refer to the collection of the sodium urate crystals accumulated around the joint. The accumulation of sodium urate crystals may cause swelling, and sometimes tophi burst with white chalky discharge.