Care plans

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Dec 21, 2015

Do you mean like skin grossly intact, moist mucous membranes, turgor WNL?

Fly_Nurse · Dec 21, 2015

My instructor told me not to write WNL [emoji30]

Fly_Nurse · Dec 21, 2015

So I'm really stuck here

Fly_Nurse · Dec 21, 2015

If the gait is wnl what other way can I describe it ? Ambulated without assistance ?

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Dec 21, 2015

Gait steady, smooth & coordinated. Smooth associated movement of upper extremeties. Able to walk __ feet continuously unassisted.

Skin turgor--no tenting, no edema.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Dec 21, 2015

Normal gait is "rhythmic, coordinated and characterized by alternating propulsive and retropulsive movements of the lower extremeties." (Can't pull link)

cupcakeluver · Dec 21, 2015

I agree with Justbeachy. My instructors prefer gait steady and coordinated. 'Ambulates independently' is acceptable in my program also. I also document skin turgor as elastic. That's the way I was taught. We can't use WNL either. Hope this helps.

not2bblue · Dec 21, 2015

Instead of saying WNL, describe the findings. You don't have to go overboard with a description of every freckle though. Just write a picture.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Dec 21, 2015

Skin- grossly intact, moist mucus membranes, skin turgor elastic. No edema observed.

Gait: steady & coordinated, able to independently ambulate down hallway without stopping

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Dec 22, 2015

Normal gait is "rhythmic, coordinated and characterized by alternating propulsive and retropulsive movements of the lower extremeties." (Can't pull link)

Yep, that is exactly what I write for my muscoloskeletal assessment.

Lol. Actually what I really do is click off the appropriate check boxes, which is what you will likely do in real life too.

Being too logorrheic is not any better than just writing WNL. (just beachy, I know you were pulling a definition, not an actual chart entry, not picking on you at all!)

Fly_Nurse · Dec 23, 2015

Thank u all