Musculoskeletal Care Flashcards
7 cards from real MSNCB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Musculoskeletal Care flashcards as text
A patient with a long leg cast reports severe pain unrelieved by opioids and paresthesia in the toes. What is the priority nursing action?
Answer: Bivalve or remove the cast immediately
Unrelieved pain and paresthesia indicate compartment syndrome, requiring immediate cast removal to relieve pressure.
Which lab value is most important to monitor in a patient taking long-term corticosteroids for rheumatoid arthritis who reports back pain?
Answer: Bone mineral density (DEXA scan result)
Long-term corticosteroid use causes osteoporosis; bone mineral density monitoring detects vertebral fracture risk from steroid-induced bone loss.
A nurse is caring for a patient 6 hours post-total hip arthroplasty (THA). Which position is contraindicated?
Answer: Hip flexion greater than 90 degrees
Hip flexion beyond 90 degrees risks prosthetic dislocation in the early postoperative period after posterior-approach THA.
A patient with Paget's disease of bone asks why their serum alkaline phosphatase is elevated. The best nursing response is:
Answer: It reflects increased osteoblastic activity due to abnormal bone remodeling
In Paget's disease, markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase reflects excessive, disorganized osteoblastic bone remodeling activity.
Which finding in a patient with a fractured femur warrants the most immediate nursing intervention?
Answer: Blood pressure 88/54 mmHg and heart rate 118 bpm
Femur fractures can cause 1–2 L of blood loss; hypotension and tachycardia indicate hemorrhagic shock requiring immediate intervention.
A patient on skeletal traction asks why weights cannot be removed for comfort. The correct nursing explanation is:
Answer: Weights must remain continuous to maintain bone alignment and prevent muscle spasm
Continuous traction is essential; interruption allows bone fragments to override and muscle spasm to recur, negating the therapeutic effect.
A patient post-spinal fusion develops urinary retention and bilateral leg weakness on postoperative day 1. The priority action is:
Answer: Notify the surgeon immediately for suspected epidural hematoma
New bilateral motor weakness and urinary retention after spinal surgery suggest epidural hematoma, a surgical emergency requiring immediate notification.