The nurse is performing an assessment of a patient's musculoskeletal system and is appraising the patient's bone integrity. What action should the nurse perform during this phase of assessment?
A) Compare parts of the body symmetrically.
B) Assess extremities when in motion rather than at rest.
C) Percuss as many joints as are accessible.
D) Administer analgesia 30 to 60 minutes before assessment.
Ans: A
Feedback:
When assessing bone integrity, symmetric parts of the body, such as extremities, are compared. Analgesia should not be necessary and percussion is not a clinically useful assessment technique. Bone integrity is best assessed when the patient is not moving.
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