The nurse suspects that a patient has carpal tunnel syndrome and wants to perform the Phalen test. What instructions should the nurse give the patient to perform this test?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

For the Phalen test, the nurse should ask the person to hold both hands back to back while flexing the wrists 90 degrees. Acute flexion of the wrist for 60 seconds produces no symptoms in the normal hand. The Phalen test reproduces numbness and burning in a person with carpal tunnel syndrome. The other actions are not correct when testing for carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Nurse Suspects That a Patient Has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome