May 31, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals The most important measurement in rhabdomyolysis is serum creatine kinase (CK) level. With normal CK serum levels of 5 to 35 units/L, a level five times the upper limit of normal (about 1000 units/L) is used to identify rhabdomyolysis.
May 30, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals A classic triad of muscle pain, weakness and dark urine is considered typical of rhabdomyolysis, but those affected may have no complaint of pain or weakness. Abnormally dark urine caused by myoglobinuria may be the first and only symptom.
May 29, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Trauma and repetitive stress can cause painful degradation of collagen fibers (tendinosis), inflammation of tendons (tendinitis) or inflammation in bursal sacs (bursitis). The term tendinopathy includes tendinitis, tendinosis and paratendinitis.
May 28, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals In skeletal traction, a pin or wire is drilled through the bone below the fracture site and a traction bow, rope and weights are attached to apply tension and to provide the force needed to overcome the muscle spasm and help realign the fragments.
May 27, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals A transchondral fracture consists of fragmentation and separation of a portion of the articular cartilage that covers the end of a bone at a joint. Typical sites of transchondral fracture are the ankle, the kneecap, the elbow and the wrist.
May 26, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals During isometric contraction (static or holding contraction), the muscle maintains constant length as tension is increased. Isometric contraction occurs, for example, when the arm or leg is pushed against an immovable object.
May 25, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Fusiform muscles are elongated muscles shaped like straps and can run from one joint to another. Pennate muscles are broad, flat and slightly fan shaped, with fibers running obliquely to the muscle’s long axis.
May 24, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Synovial fluid is superfiltrated plasma from blood vessels in the synovial membrane. Synovial fluid lubricates the joint surfaces, nourishes articular cartilage and contains synovial cells that phagocytize joint debris and microorganisms.
May 23, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals A symphysis is a cartilaginous joint in which bones are united by a pad or disk of fibrocartilage. Examples of symphyses are the symphysis pubis, which joins the two pubic bones and the intervertebral disks, which join the bodies of the vertebrae.
May 22, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals A gomphosis is a special type of fibrous joint in which a conical projection fits into a complementary socket and is held there by a ligament. The teeth held in the maxilla or mandible are gomphosis joints.
May 21, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals A syndesmosis is a joint in which the two bony surfaces are united by a ligament or membrane. The paired bones of the lower arm (radius and ulna) and the lower leg (tibia and fibula) and their ligaments are syndesmotic joints.
May 20, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals A suture has a thin layer of dense fibrous tissue that binds together interlocking flat bones in the skulls of young children. Sutures form an extremely tight union that permits no motion. By adulthood the fibrous tissue has been replaced by bone.
May 19, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Based on movement, a joint is classified as a synarthrosis (immovable), an amphiarthrosis (slightly movable) or a diarthrosis (freely movable). On the basis of connective structures, joints are classified as fibrous, cartilaginous and synovial.
May 18, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals The site where two or more bones meet is called a joint (articulation). The primary function of joints is to provide stability and mobility to the skeleton. Whether a joint provides stability or mobility depends on its location and its structure.
May 17, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals The liver stores certain vitamins and minerals, including iron and copper, in times of excessive intake and releases them in times of need. The liver can store vitamins B12 and D for several months and vitamin A for several years.
May 16, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals The small intestine is functionally divided into three segments: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The duodenum begins at the pylorus and ends where it joins the jejunum at a suspensory ligament called the Treitz ligament.
May 15, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Swallowing is a complex event mediated by the trigeminal nucleus, nucleus tractus solitarius and reticular formation of the brainstem, and also involves other brain regions, including the insula/claustrum and cerebellum.
May 14, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is an acute disorder characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and renal impairment. The disease occurs most frequently in infants and children younger than 4 years of age.
May 13, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Exstrophy of the bladder is a rare extensive congenital anomaly of herniation of the bladder through the abdominal wall with failure of the abdominal muscles, pelvic ring and pelvic floor musculature to fuse in the midline.
May 12, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Hypospadias is a congenital condition in which the urethral meatus is located on the ventral side of the penis. The meatus can be located anywhere on the glans, the penile shaft, the base of the penis, the penoscrotal junction or the perineum.
May 11, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals The blood vessels of the kidney closely parallel nephron structure. The renal arteries arise from the abdominal aorta at the first lumbar vertebra and supply approximately 20% of the cardiac output to the kidneys.
May 10, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals May 9, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Bronchiolitis obliterans is a late-stage fibrotic process that occludes the airways and causes permanent scarring of the lungs. This process is most common after lung transplantation and is associated with acute rejection and infection.
May 8, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Atelectasis tends to occur after surgery and with use of general anesthesia. In addition, individuals are often in pain, breathe shallowly, are reluctant to change position, and produce viscous secretions that tend to pool in portions of the lung.
May 7, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Individuals with empyema present with cyanosis, fever, tachycardia, cough and pleural pain. Breath sounds are decreased directly over the empyema. Diagnosis is made by chest radiographs, thoracentesis and sputum culture.
May 6, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Empyema (infected pleural effusion) is the presence of pus in the pleural space. It is thought to develop when the pulmonary lymphatics become blocked, leading to an outpouring of contaminated lymphatic fluid into the pleural space.
May 5, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Exudative effusion is watery and contains high concentrations of white blood cells and plasma proteins. Exudative effusion occurs in response to inflammation or infection and involves inflammatory processes that increase capillary permeability.
May 4, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Pleural effusion is the presence of fluid in the pleural space. The source of the fluid is usually blood vessels or lymphatic vessels lying beneath either pleura, but occasionally an abscess or other lesion may drain into the pleural space.
May 3, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Cheyne-Stokes respirations are characterized by alternating periods of deep and shallow breathing. Apnea lasting 15 to 60 seconds is followed by ventilations that increase in volume until a peak is reached.
May 2, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Strenuous exercise or metabolic acidosis induces Kussmaul respirations (hyperpnea). Kussmaul respirations are characterized by a slightly increased ventilatory rate, very large tidal volume and no expiratory pause.
May 1, 2014
Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals
Category: Fundamentals Hemoptysis is the coughing up of blood or bloody secretions. This is sometimes confused with hematemesis, which is the vomiting of blood. Blood that is coughed up is usually bright red, has an alkaline pH and is mixed with frothy sputum.
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