The nurse plans care for a patient who has just received a prescription for a leg brace and crutches. Which of the following is the nurse's priority in the patient's plan of care?
a. Assisting the patient to a supine position to apply the leg brace
b. Asking which device the patient prefers and uses most often
c. Determining patient experience with a leg brace and crutches
d. Assessing how the leg brace affects am-bulation with crutches
C
The most important nursing intervention is to establish baseline data on patient knowledge and experience with the brace and crutches because this determines the teaching, assessments, prep-aration, and collaboration that the nurse plans and provides. The baseline data help the nurse to identify knowledge gaps, prevent complications, and provide effective care. When this is com-pleted, the nurse applies the leg brace properly by positioning the patient in a supine position. The prescription provides instruction for the use of a leg brace with crutches. After fitting the patient with a brace, the nurse collaborates with physical therapy to teach or reinforce crutch walking with the brace before allowing the patient independent ambulation to provide patient safety and prevent injury.
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