A patient with a spinal cord injury (SCI) has complete paralysis of the upper extremities and complete paralysis of the lower part of the body. The nurse should use which medical term to adequately describe this in documentation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Quadriplegia is the medical term used to describe complete paralysis of all four limbs (upper and lower extremities) due to a spinal cord injury, which is the case for this patient. Hemiplegia refers to paralysis of one side of the body, while paraplegia refers to paralysis of the lower part of the body only. Paresthesia refers to abnormal sensations such as tingling, numbness, or burning, and is not the appropriate term to describe this patient's condition of complete paralysis.

A Patient with a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Has Complete