Different types of residuals...PLEASE HELP I AM LOST

[MommyJoy]

So yestereday I had a pt who had fallen on the ice and fractured his ankle. He was going down for surgery, and when I was giving report to the surgical nurse, she asked what the pts residuals were. I told the nurse that I was not sure what she was asking for because the pt did not have any type of tube feeding etc. The nurse replied that she did not mean tube feeding residuals, and again asked what his residuals were, I told her that I did not know what she meant, and she said never mind.

Today, I overheard another nurse talking about CVA residuals.

All I know is that I am a new grad, and all I ever learned in school regarding residuals had to do with checking related to a tube feeding. I have looked all over the interent and in my textbooks for something regarding residuals besides what I already know.

If there are other types of residuals, please someone help me, and let me know because I don't have enough knowledge regarding this topic to research it any further.

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated!

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

She might have meant residual deficits, but that seems like an odd question for the circumstances, unless his fall was the result of a CVA. Maybe she wanted to know what his weight bearing status was, considering the fractured extremity.

[Oz2]

The nurse replied that she did not mean tube feeding residuals, and again asked what his residuals were, I told her that I did not know what she meant, and she said never mind.

What a lovely person she must be. She knows you are a new grad and is condescending rather than taken 1 minute and tell you what the heck she meant.

Sorry...I don't know what she meant either...I'm not a nurse yet.

ETA: Judging by the number of responses, you would have to be a mind reader to know what she meant.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

She might have meant residual deficits, but that seems like an odd question for the circumstances, unless his fall was the result of a CVA. Maybe she wanted to know what his weight bearing status was, considering the fractured extremity.

That was the only thing I could think of. But the OP states basically just a ankle fracture with surgical repair later that day. Deffinately a odd question regarding the circumstances.

[Moneypitt]

The question if she thought it was a CVA would be "Any residual?" Not what are his residuals. Never heard any nurse ask it that way. I once asked a nurse a patient's code status. She told me "The patient is a first code response?" I told her I was sorry but I did not know what that was, could she explain that to me. She told me she didn't know either but that was what the previous nurse told her. We both chuckled and then looked in the chart. :chuckle

[MommyJoy]

Well if the question was "Any Residual" what does that mean? Like any residual effects or something?

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I honestly don't know what that nurse wanted to know. Did this pt have a hx of CVA?

[leslie :-D]

i've only heard residual (deficits) talked about in re to neuro only.

unless he fell and hit his head, i wouldn't have a clue as to what she was asking.

leslie

[diane227, LPN, RN]

Had this patient had a CVA? Had this patient had any other type of trauma? I would want to know about his residual function following a CVA. I might also want to know his residual status following the fall. Does he have any other injuries or neuro changes. She certainly could have asked her question in a manner that was more clear.

[Pepperlady]

All I can say is you are a new grad and I am a grad from many years ago and neither one of us has a clue what "residuals" she was talking about so I figure maybe she wasn't sure what she was asking for either.

As far as a CVA, I still wouldn't understand someone asking me about "any residuals", 'any deficits" yes, that I would understand

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

As far as a CVA, I still wouldn't understand someone asking me about "any residuals", 'any deficits" yes, that I would understand

I've heard this term many times, so I'd understand it. It's just shorthand for "residual deficits". I just don't understand what it has to do with the OP, unless, as mentioned, the patient has a history of CVA, or perhaps hit their head when they fell.

[Straydandelion]

I would guess the nurse was talking something hospital specific that is probably used freely with the other nurses. Residual deficits comes to mind but she was not plain and IMO condescending. Try asking another nurse that works in the same facillity?