The nurse is assessing a patient with a cast extending from just below the left knee to the toes. Which assessment contains a desirable patient outcome?
a. The toes are pink bilaterally.
b. The cast is warm at the ankle.
c. Paresthesia is present in the left foot.
d. The cast is snug at the knee.
A
Bilateral pink toes indicate adequate oxygenation to the periphery and support the outcome, "Pa-tient has pink and warm toes bilaterally while wearing cast.". This also implies that the cast fits properly without areas of constriction. An area of warmth on a cast potentially indicates an in-fection. Paresthesia indicates nerve compression or irritation; when this occurs with a cast in place on the affected extremity, it usually indicates swelling of the extremity, potentially leading to impaired perfusion. A tight cast potentially restricts blood flow and compresses nerves, leading to tissue damage and paresthesias.
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