A Patient with Comminuted Fractures of the Tibia and Fibula

question 14

Multiple Choice

A patient with comminuted fractures of the tibia and fibula is treated with open reduction and application of an external fixator. The next day, the patient complains of severe pain in the leg, which is unrelieved by ordered analgesics. The patient's toes are pink, but the patient complains of numbness and tingling. The most appropriate action by the nurse is to

• A) notify the patient's health care provider.
• B) check the patient's blood pressure.
• C) assess the external fixator pins for redness or drainage.
• D) elevate the extremity and apply ice over the wound site.

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Definitions:

DSM-5 Approach

An approach based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, which is a standardized classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals.

Personality Disorder

Chronic pattern of maladaptive cognition, emotion, and behavior that begins by adolescence or early adulthood and continues into later adulthood.

Pathological Traits

Characteristics or behaviors that are extreme, maladaptive, and indicative of some form of mental disorder or psychological dysfunction.

Self-Identity

An individual's recognition of their personal characteristics, values, and beliefs that define who they are.