Nursing Student Needs Help With Ortho Assessment

[Krysten]

My instructer wants us to do a complete orthopedic assessment and than a orthopedic assessment of a pt who has a fracture hip and shoulder. My question... is there a different type of assessment on a person who has a fracture hip and shoulder than a general orth assessment? also are there any websites for a orth assessment? Thank you

[znov11]

We have the same question. I hope someone gives us sites and references for orthopedic assessment. ^^

[elefantastic]

maybe your instructor means doing an assessment of the patients extremity for color, pulses, sensation, movement, etc.. that isn't part of a "normal" assessment, but after surgery to a body part it's important to look at. like for a knee replacement, you'd look for pedal pulses, movement of the foot/toes, skin color, capillary refill, you'd ask the patient if they had any numbness/tingling in the extremity. if the patient is in a cast following surgery, you'd probably want to do neurovascular checks for 24hrs following surgery, to make sure the cast isn't so tight it's impeding on circulation/etc.. hope this helps!

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Start at the head and work down to the piggy toe. Of course with the hip and the shoulder you won't get full movement and probably not full sensation, though that would be nice to see.