A patient in skeletal traction for a fractured pelvis needs to use the bedpan. Which intervention should the nurse use to prevent complications?
a. Logroll the patient and maintain skeletal traction.
b. Place a bedpan under the patient while the hips are lifted.
c. Remove weights on the traction and turn the patient.
d. Warm the bedpan before placing it under the patient.
B
The patient has a high risk for skin breakdown because he or she must remain on the back, in-creasing the risk of tissue hypoxia from pressure and bed rest. The nurse instructs the patient to pull up on the overbed trapeze to lift the lower torso and create a space for inserting the bedpan, keeping the hips and spine in alignment without disrupting the integrity of the traction. This helps to prevent complications of elimination by facilitating use of the bedpan, containing the stool, and preventing exposure of the perineum to the stool. If the patient is unable to help, several staff members lift him or her so the skin is not harmed. The nurse avoids logrolling the patient with a fractured pelvis to maintain alignment of the bone fragments established by the skeletal traction. The nurse wants to keep the bone fragments in alignment because movement of the fragments can extend the regional soft tissue injury and because it promotes healing. The weights are maintained on the pelvic traction to maintain alignment of the bone fragments. Warming the bedpan is a courtesy; however, the primary concerns are to maintain alignment of the bone frag-ments during elimination and to use a fracture bedpan to facilitate elimination.
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