A practical nurse is caring for a client who had a fiberglass cast applied to the right lower leg earlier in the day. The client reports severe, throbbing pain in the right leg that is rated as a 9 on a 0-to-10 scale, despite receiving an oral opioid analgesic one hour ago. The nurse notes that the client's right toes are cool to the touch and capillary refill is 4 seconds. Which action should the nurse take next?
- AElevate the casted extremity on pillows above heart level to decrease swelling
- BLoosen the fiberglass cast using a cast saw to relieve the pressure on the leg
- CAdminister a PRN dose of the prescribed breakthrough pain medication
- Communicate the neurovascular findings to the supervising registered nurse right awayCevap
Cevap
The priority action is to immediately communicate the neurovascular findings to the supervising registered nurse or healthcare provider.
The client is exhibiting classic signs of compartment syndrome, which include unrelieved severe pain, cool extremities, and delayed capillary refill. This is a surgical emergency requiring immediate escalation to the registered nurse or healthcare provider to prevent permanent tissue damage and limb loss.
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Recognizing and Escalating Compartment Syndrome
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