OCC Patient Assessment & Preparation Flashcards

Before casting a patient who takes anticoagulant medication, the casting technician should:

Answer: Note the medication and alert the supervising clinician

Anticoagulants increase bleeding risk and may affect cast management decisions; the supervising clinician must be informed.

Which tool is used to measure compartment pressure when acute compartment syndrome is suspected before or after casting?

Answer: Intracompartmental pressure monitor

Intracompartmental pressure monitoring (Stryker device or equivalent) directly measures pressures within fascial compartments.

Edema assessment before casting is BEST performed by:

Answer: Comparing circumference measurements of both extremities

Objective circumferential measurements document baseline swelling and allow comparison after casting to detect increasing edema.

What instruction should the patient receive about positioning the casted extremity immediately after application?

Answer: Elevate above the level of the heart

Elevation reduces post-casting swelling and decreases the risk of cast tightness and neurovascular compromise.

A patient has a known latex allergy. The casting technician should use:

Answer: Latex-free gloves and non-latex stockinette

All materials contacting the patient and technician must be latex-free to prevent allergic reaction in latex-allergic patients.

Before casting a diabetic patient, which additional assessment is MOST important?

Answer: Detailed skin integrity check for neuropathic ulcers or insensate areas

Diabetic patients may have peripheral neuropathy and impaired wound healing, making skin inspection before casting critical.