During morning rounds on the orthopedic unit, a practical nurse evaluates a client who underwent a right total knee arthroplasty (TKA) earlier today. To promote safety and optimal joint recovery, which basic care and comfort measures must the nurse incorporate into the plan of care? Select all that apply.
- Position a rolled towel under the right lower leg and ankle to suspend the heel off the bed.Answer
- BPlace a thick, folded pillow directly underneath the right knee to reduce joint tension.
- CEngage the knee gatch on the bed frame to prevent the client from sliding downward.
- Maintain the operative knee in a neutral, extended position while the client is resting.Answer
- Apply a prescribed continuous cold therapy wrap around the right knee.Answer
- Encourage the client to perform ankle pumping exercises on both legs hourly while awake.Answer
Answer
The correct interventions are: positioning a rolled towel under the ankle, maintaining the knee in an extended position, applying cold therapy, and encouraging the client to perform ankle pumping exercises.
Safe basic care following a total knee arthroplasty focuses on preventing contractures, promoting circulation, and ensuring skin integrity. Maintaining the knee in a neutral, extended position ensures the joint heals without a flexion contracture. Placing a rolled towel under the ankle suspends the vulnerable heel off the mattress to prevent pressure ulcers. Ankle pumping exercises engage calf muscles to promote venous return and prevent deep vein thrombosis. Applying a prescribed cold therapy wrap effectively decreases postoperative edema and provides localized pain relief.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Postoperative Basic Care and Proper Positioning for Total Knee Arthroplasty
Estimated Time:1m 30s