Question 1

A patient is recovering from an arthrocentesis of the right knee.What should the nurse instruct the patient regarding care at home?&#10;A) Elevate the extremity&#10;B) Ambulate with crutches&#10;C) Avoid all weight bearing for three to five days&#10;D) Apply ice to the wound for the first 24 hours&#10;

Accepted Answer

Applying ice to the wound for the first 24 hours helps reduce swelling and pain after an arthrocentesis procedure.

Question 2

A patient's bone density results are -2.7.For which potential health problem should the nurse instruct this patient?&#10;A) Pain&#10;B) Fractures&#10;C) Contractures&#10;D) Muscle atrophy&#10;

Accepted Answer

A bone density score of -2.7 indicates osteoporosis, which increases the risk of fractures. The nurse should instruct the patient on measures to prevent falls and minimize the risk of fractures. Pain, contractures, and muscle atrophy may be associated with other health problems, but are not directly related to osteoporosis.

Question 3

A patient has loose bone fragments within the knee.Which diagnostic test should be considered to remove these fragments?&#10;A) Bone scan&#10;B) Arthroscopy&#10;C) Arthrocentesis&#10;D) Electromyography&#10;

Accepted Answer

The best choice for removing loose bone fragments within the knee is arthroscopy. This procedure is minimally invasive and allows the surgeon to visualize and remove loose fragments while also evaluating and treating any other damage or abnormalities within the joint. A bone scan is a diagnostic test that uses a small amount of radioactive tracer to detect bone abnormalities, but it is not used for removing loose fragments. Arthrocentesis is a procedure where a needle is inserted into a joint to remove synovial fluid for diagnostic purposes, and electromyography is a test that measures muscle activity and is not relevant in this case.

Question 4

An older patient is diagnosed with a fractured hip joint.What should the nurse consider as the reason for this fracture?&#10;A) Mineral deposits&#10;B) Decreased joint fluid&#10;C) Thinner joint cartilage&#10;D) Loss of fluid in tendons&#10;

Accepted Answer

As people age, joint cartilage naturally thins which can make bones more susceptible to fractures.

Question 5

The nurse is preparing teaching material on the musculoskeletal system.What should the nurse include about the function of short bones?&#10;A) Produces blood cells&#10;B) Controls movement of the body&#10;C) Provides stability with little movement&#10;D) Controls contraction of organs and blood vessels&#10;

Accepted Answer

Short bones are responsible for providing stability with little movement. They are cube-shaped and found in the wrist and ankle joints.

Question 6

The nurse is assessing a patient's vertebral column.What term best describes the function of the joints between the vertebrae?&#10;A) Meiosis&#10;B) Diarthrosis&#10;C) Synarthrosis&#10;D) Amphiarthrosis&#10;

Accepted Answer

The term "amphiarthrosis" best describes the function of the joints between the vertebrae. Amphiarthrosis refers to a slightly movable joint, which is appropriate for the joints between the vertebrae as they allow for limited movement while still providing support and stability to the spinal column. Meiosis refers to the process of cell division, diarthrosis refers to a freely movable joint, and synarthrosis refers to an immovable joint.

Question 7

An older patient asks what can be done to prevent bone fractures.What should the nurse suggest to this patient?&#10;A) Limit exposure to the sun&#10;B) Increase the intake of water&#10;C) Increase frequency of rest periods&#10;D) Engage in weight-bearing exercise&#10;

Accepted Answer

Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or strength training, helps to build and maintain bone density, which can reduce the risk of fractures. Limiting exposure to the sun can actually increase the risk of fractures, as sunlight is needed for the body to produce vitamin D, which is essential for bone health. While staying hydrated is important for overall health, it does not directly impact bone fracture prevention. Increasing the frequency of rest periods may be important for those with certain medical conditions, but it does not directly impact bone fracture prevention.

Question 8

The nurse is preparing information about bone health for a community fair.What part of the bone should the nurse identify as containing living bone cells?&#10;A) Nerves&#10;B) Collagen&#10;C) Osteoblasts&#10;D) Blood vessels&#10;

Accepted Answer

Osteoblasts are the bone cells responsible for bone formation and are considered living cells. Nerves, collagen, and blood vessels are all important components of bone, but they are not living bone cells.

Question 9

The nurse notes that a 55-year-old female patient's bone density test has changed from -1.2 to a current level of -2.5.What could be the reason for this change?&#10;A) Immobility&#10;B) Loss of estrogen&#10;C) Chronic diseases&#10;D) Poor nutritional status&#10;

Accepted Answer

The change in bone density from -1.2 to -2.5 suggests osteoporosis, which is commonly caused by loss of estrogen in postmenopausal women. Immobility, chronic diseases, and poor nutritional status can also contribute to osteoporosis, but loss of estrogen is the most likely cause given the patient's age and gender.

Question 10

The nurse notes that patient is scheduled for an arthrogram.What is the purpose of this test?&#10;A) Evaluate healing of a bone fracture&#10;B) Visualize joint soft tissue structures&#10;C) Identify the location of a bone tumor&#10;D) Determine the cause for muscle weakness&#10;

Accepted Answer

An arthrogram is a diagnostic test that uses X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the soft tissue structures of a joint, such as ligaments and cartilage, that may not be detected on a regular X-ray. This test is commonly used to evaluate joint injuries and diagnose conditions such as rotator cuff tears and labral tears in the hip. It is not used to evaluate bone healing, locate bone tumors, or determine the cause of muscle weakness.

Question 11

A patient is experiencing bursitis of the hip.What physical finding should the nurse expect to assess in this patient?&#10;A) Muscle edema&#10;B) Shortened limb&#10;C) Hip contracture&#10;D) Pain with movement&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient is experiencing bursitis of the...

Question 12

The nurse is evaluating a patient's musculoskeletal system.Which approach should be used to determine joint mobility?&#10;A) Gait&#10;B) Posture&#10;C) Range of motion&#10;D) Palpation of muscle tone&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is evaluating a patient's musculoskeletal...

Question 13

An older patient is experiencing arthritis in major joints.What could be the reason for the development of this disorder?&#10;A) Decreased cartilage&#10;B) Decline in muscle mass&#10;C) Less fluid in joint spaces&#10;D) Loss of fluid in ligaments&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of An older patient is experiencing arthritis in...

Question 14

The nurse notes that a patient has full range of motion against gravity but not resistance.How should the nurse document this finding?&#10;A) Fair&#10;B) Poor&#10;C) Good&#10;D) Normal&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse notes that a patient has...

Question 15

The nurse is assessing a patient's musculoskeletal status.Which observation indicates that the gait is normal?&#10;A) Base is as wide as the patient's hips.&#10;B) Symmetrical arm swing occurs with each step.&#10;C) Foot is on the ground for 40% of the stance phase.&#10;D) Foot is off of the ground for 60% of the swing phase.&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is assessing a patient's musculoskeletal...

Question 16

A patient's bone scan results showed a 3 cm cold spot area on the right fibula.What does this finding indicate?&#10;A) Cancer&#10;B) Bone infection&#10;C) Healing fracture&#10;D) Bone metabolism disease&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient's bone scan results showed a...

Question 17

A patient is scheduled for a CT scan of the left femur.What should the nurse expect the findings of this diagnostic test to reveal?&#10;A) Fractures&#10;B) Disk disease&#10;C) Osteomyelitis&#10;D) Ligamentous tears&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient is scheduled for a CT...

Question 18

The nurse notes that a patient has muscular and skeletal balance.What should this observation indicate to the nurse?&#10;A) Joints are stressed.&#10;B) Muscles are damaged.&#10;C) Body organs are aligned.&#10;D) Bones are compensating.&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse notes that a patient has...

Question 19

A patient has a muscle that has been torn from the bone.Which structure has been injured in this patient?&#10;A) Fascia&#10;B) Tendon&#10;C) Cartilage&#10;D) Ligament&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient has a muscle that has...

Question 20

A patient has a low level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).How will this affect the musculoskeletal system?&#10;A) Reduces bone growth&#10;B) Initiates the growth of bone&#10;C) Slows the rate of bone destruction&#10;D) Promotes the number of osteoblasts&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient has a low level of...

Deck 52: Assessment of Musculoskeletal Function