a little help

[vuphan86]

I am working as a CNA in nursing home. Yesterday, when i took care one of my resident who is paralyzed right side ( cant move right arm (RA) and Right foot (RF)), i found out RF was swollen (+4) and LF was normal. it was excruciated when i moved it. it was not red but warm ( because previous CNA put the sock and cover him with blanket). I reported to the nurse and the nurse told me to elevate the affected leg with pillow. Can anyone explain why did he have edema in the paralyzed foot (not for unaffected foot)?

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

i am in the BSN program and work as a CNA in nursing home facility

Well right now you are a student & a CNA. I'm going to try to be as nice as possible. But you can't act as a nurse until you pass the NCLEX. You are still in school & have no experience. You keep saying it can't be gout or cellulitis, nothing gets under a nurse's skin more than a CNA/non nurse trying to be a nurse.

You have gotten great advice from great nurses. We really can't tell you what is wrong with the resident since we aren't there to examine him. All you can do is keep reporting abnormals to your charge nurse & go on with your day.

[vuphan86]

i did report to my nurse and elevate his leg during my shift. the main purpose i posted this topic is that i can find the answer for my curious. In my response, i said it was my opinion. I believe student nurse or even experienced nurses sometime we do not know everything, so we have to give hypotheses and try to find the good answer which fit the best. That is how i learn and this is a dicussion forum and i want to share what i am thinking as a student nurse level. i did not mean to doubt on anyone's compentency.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

i did report to my nurse and elevate his leg during my shift. the main purpose i posted this topic is that i can find the answer for my curious. In my response, i said it was my opinion. I believe student nurse or even experienced nurses sometime we do not know everything, so we have to give hypotheses and try to find the good answer which fit the best. That is how i learn and this is a dicussion forum and i want to share what i am thinking as a student nurse level. i did not mean to doubt on anyone's compentency.

Well when you said it can't be gout or cellulitis because of x/y/z after a nurse told you he could, it doesn't look good on you. It's great that you want to learn! But after experienced nurses have told you it is possible, don't say no it isn't. I know we aren't there to examine him & you are. But we are just going by your description & the possibilities.