A 25-year-old male jail inmate was pushed over the railing of a walkway 20 feet above the ground. He is unresponsive and has an open fracture of the left upper arm. How would you determine if the patient has sensation in his legs?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

DSince the patient is unresponsive, methods that rely on the patient's verbal feedback (like A) cannot be used. Checking for a pedal pulse (B) assesses circulation, not sensation. Pinching the foot and observing for any movement (C) or lifting the leg and looking for a facial grimace (D) are ways to assess for sensation or pain response without requiring the patient's verbal response. These methods rely on reflexive or involuntary responses to stimuli, which can indicate whether the patient has sensation in his legs.

A 25-Year-Old Male Jail Inmate Was Pushed Over the Railing