When caring for a patient with leg ulcers, the positioning of the legs depends on whether the ulcer is arterial or venous in origin. How would you position a patient who has leg ulcers that are venous in origin?
A) Keep the legs flat without the knee gauche raised.
B) Gauche the knees to about a 45° angle.
C) Elevate lower extremities.
D) Hang the legs over the side of the bed.
Ans: C
Feedback: Positioning of the legs depends on whether the ulcer is of arterial or venous origin. If there is arterial insufficiency, the patient should be referred for evaluation for vascular reconstruction. If there is venous insufficiency, dependent edema can be avoided by elevating the lower extremities. A decrease in edema promotes the exchange of cellular nutrients and waste products in the area of the ulcer, promoting healing.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is caring for a patient who has just had coronary artery bypass grafting. As part of the admission procedure to the critical care unit immediately after surgery, what nursing assessment has the highest priority?
A) Urine output B) Cardiac index measurement C) Chest tube drainage measurement D) Core body temperature
A client with liver cancer has been admitted to hospice. The client asks why he developed this disease. The nurse knows there is a high likelihood this client has which of the following past medical histories?
1. Alcohol consumption 2. Sexually transmitted diseases 3. H. pylori 4. Frequent nausea and vomiting
A client hospitalized for diagnostic cancer testing reports an intense fear of dying from cancer. Which of the following responses by the nurse would be most appropriate?
1. "What has your doctor told you about your condition?" 2. "There is no indication from the testing that you are going to die.". 3. "Most forms of cancer are treatable and have good recovery rates.". 4. "What makes you feel that you are going to die now?"
The nurse determines a need for additional instruction when the patient with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes says which of the following?
a. "I can have an occasional alcoholic drink if I include it in my meal plan." b. "I will need a bedtime snack because I take an evening dose of NPH insulin." c. "I can choose any foods, as long as I use enough insulin to cover the calories." d. "I will eat something at meal times to prevent hypoglycemia, even if I am not hungry."