orthopedics clinicals

de05432 · Feb 24, 2017

I did my clinicals during my first semester on an Ortho floor, and I currently work on one as an extern.

I've found that most of the time (and I'm still a student, though), the biggest issues/things you'll run into with ortho pt.'s are mobility, DVT prophylaxis, and pain control. Basically, they need help getting around (and you will need to be careful during re-positioning, especially if they've had hip surgery!), they need some anticoags and SCD's, and pain control, especially before PT/OT comes to work with them or a dressing change is done.

This is just in my experience, though. It depends on your unit. I like Ortho.

Nursingbsn2b91 · Feb 24, 2017

Oooh thank you for your reply! I think my biggest thing I'm worried for is doing dressing & wound change. I'm kind of freaking myself out because I haven't dealt with those types of things before. I've seen them, but never physically touched them so that's something that I'm not sure I'm ready to handle.

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 24, 2017

Most likely of they are post op ortho patients you won't be doing dressing changess because typically they have hydrogel/hydrocolloid dressing that can stay on for several days.

emmjayy, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2017

I had clinical on an ortho floor last semester, currently have clinical there, and also float to an ortho floor in my job as an assistant.

As a previous poster said.... your biggest issues are going to be pain control, DVT prevention, and impaired mobility/the consequences thereof. Falls prevention is also a big deal! You will be doing a lot of neurovascular checks, administering/coordinating pain meds, giving anticoagulants, using anti embolism stockings/pumps, and encouraging mobility in your post-op patients. You will get patients who just can't move themselves and need to be turned/positioned frequently so you will learn about how to move pt's with hip replacements/spine surgery. I've never had to do a dressing change. I see a lot of wound-vacs and hydrocolloid dressings which aren't changed that often, so I've just never been around for it. I mainly see patients who've had laminectomies/fusions, joint replacements, suffered fractures, and I have had the occasional amputation as well. I think ortho is an amazing place to start because a lot of these patients are having elective surgery and therefore have a good baseline level of health compared to patients on general med-surg or other critical care floors.

I was definitely a little scared prior to going on ortho because I thought I would accidentally pop out a hip or paralyze someone (and I also was kind of rolling my eyes because I thought it would be so booooooring) but it has turned out to be a great experience and I wouldn't mind working on an ortho unit once I get my RN!