Neuro-vascular status

[nursesearl, BSN, RN]

I work in an Urgent Care in a small rural hospital and the nurse manager insists that we chart the above term when anyone has an injury to an extremity and after casting. The exact phrase is "neuro-vascular status intact." She used to chart it as "NV status intact." We've finally convinced her that this could mean nausea/vomitting, so she doesn't abbreviate it now, but still insists that we chart the other. Is this a normal term? Or is there a better way to say it?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

lsearl said:

I work in an Urgent Care in a small rural hospital and the nurse manager insists that we chart the above term when anyone has an injury to an extremity and after casting. The exact phrase is "neuro-vascular status intact." Is this a normal term?

Yes this is a normal term.

"Neurovascular status intact" should show on flow sheet following or interpreted to mean:

+ pulses of area

+able to wiggle fingers/toes, move arm etc

color of limb involved: skin pink, lt brown, no cyanosis

warm to touch

+ sensation to area

I use it in homecare all the time post injury, ortho or vascular surgery. Especially need to assess if cast/ace wrap/brace/ dressing on extremity.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

I always spelled out neuro-vascular, for the reason already stated.

[mommatrauma, RN]

I spell it out the first time I do it...but thereafter I abbreviate it...and I write my notes in body system order so at least in my notes, it goes into my extremity notes, not in my abd assessment, so it would be hard to mistake it for Nausea and vomiting in that sense...and if you say NV intact to LLE, I'm pretty sure noone is going to think your leg isn't vomiting...

[shadowflightnurse]

There are other ways to say the same thing, just like almost everything else we document. I frequently see "CMS intact" (circulation-motor-sensory), "PMS intact" (pulse-motor-sensory), and occasionally "DNV intact" (distal neuro-vascular). I thinks it just boils down to your agency's list of approved abbreviations. Technically, if it's not an approved abbreviation we shouldn't use it. I know I'm guilty of using abbreviations not on our "approved list."