Which discharge instruction will the emergency department nurse include for a patient with a sprained ankle?
a. Keep the ankle loosely wrapped with gauze.
b. Apply a heating pad to reduce muscle spasms.
c. Use pillows to elevate the ankle above the heart.
d. Gently move the ankle through the range of motion.
ANS: C
Elevation of the leg will reduce the amount of swelling and pain. Compression bandages are used to decrease swelling. For the first 24 to 48 hours, cold packs are used to reduce swelling. The ankle should be rested and kept immobile to prevent further swelling or injury.
You might also like to view...
A Native American man who lives a traditional lifestyle is scheduled to have heart surgery. The tribal chief has requested that the tribe's medicine man perform a ritual before the patient goes to surgery
The nurse's response to this request should be A) "I'm sorry, but that will not be possible." B) "I will need to inform the doctor and see if he will allow this." C) "As long as the ritual does not interfere with the patient's preoperative care, it will be okay." D) "I don't think that will help, but you have the right to perform the ritual."
The nurse is assessing the nutritional intake of a patient diagnosed with chronic carbon dioxide retention. Which patient report indicates the patient requires additional information about dietary choices?
1. "I try to eat salad with lunch every day." 2. "I drink a cup of coffee in the morning with breakfast." 3. "I usually eat a sandwich and pasta salad for lunch." 4. "I have been trying to increase the protein in my diet."
A patient becomes agitated after talking to his wife on the phone. His heart rate increases from 80 to 100 beats per minute (BPM). What effect does this have on his cardiac output?
A) It decreases. B) It increases. C) It decreases first, then increases. D) It does not change.
Resistance is encountered during the urinary catheterization of a male client. The nurse should:
A. Remove the catheter immediately B. Apply force to insert the catheter farther C. Ask the client to breathe quickly through the mouth D. Hold the catheter firmly against the sphincter to see if it relaxes