Important self-care measures the nurse should teach to the client who is expected to be immobile in a wheelchair for a lengthy period of time include

Question

a. learning how to inspect all skin surfaces for friction or pressure.
b. massaging bony prominences four times a day.
c. sitting upright in a chair or wheelchair on the sacrum.
d. using a gel wheelchair cushion to prevent pressure ulcers.

Answer 1

A
Clients, especially those with paraplegia and decreased sensation, need to learn to inspect all body surfaces for pressure or friction injuries, using a long-handled mirror if necessary. Clients should not massage bony prominences because this leaves them soft and vulnerable to pressure or shear. Clients should sit upright on their buttocks. Gel cushions should be avoided because they are expensive and heavy, they tend to break down, and they make moving the wheelchair more difficult.