Pacu SPINE EXAM

Published

Specializes in orthopeadic.

Hey everyone,

my unit is starting to get a lot of spine patients- lamis, decompressions, Xlif, etc...

would yuh have a cheat sheet on motor and neuro checks for spine patient? Everything I see online is for stroke patients or spinal cord injury patients- not elective one-3 level spine surgeries!!

thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the PACU Nursing forum for more responses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PACU.

Our software has assessment groups that can be opened and followed for neuromuscular assessment. I just click on the dynamic and check the boxes of whether it's spinal or something else and then follow the assessment.

The areas off the top of my head...and each area asks the area of the body being checked such as upper/lower/left/right/bilaterally extremities)

1. sensation (choose intact, numb, tingling....)

2. motor (wiggle fingers/toes, lift elbow/knee, abduct/adduct, flex, dorsiflex, extend....)

3. dermatomes (so we can monitor by levels where sensation is... I use a alcohol wipe to see if they can feel pressure vs wet)

4. strength (grips, move against resistances, ability to walk....)

I'm super spoiled by being able to open the groups I want...if I'm worried about circulation, I have a neurovascular group. When we do joints I open a different group that combine the assessments I need there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion