The state or quality of being mobile or moveable
Nursing goals for mobility:
1. Prevent further complications
2.Continue to maintain present or improve
... [Show More] level of function
3. Do not cause further damage
Consequences of Immobility:
- Cardiovascularo
Reduced cardiac capacity
o Decreased cardiac output
o Orthostatic hypotension
o Venous stasis
o DVT
- Respiratoryo
Reduced lung expansion
o Atelectasis
o Pooling of respiratory secretions
- Musculoskeletalo
Reduction in muscle mass and atrophy
o Contracture of joints
o Bone demineralization
- Integumentaryo
Skin breakdown
- Gastrointestinalo
Reduced peristalsis
o Constipation
- Urinaryo
Renal calculi
o Urinary stasis
o infection
Diagnostics:
- X-ray
- MRI
- CT scans
- Bone scan
- Bone mineral density
- Myelogram
- Arthrography
- Arthroscopy
- Electromyography
- General lab tests
Downloaded by Simon Kamau ([email protected])
lOMoARcPSD|25111999
Spinal Cord Injury
~injury to the spine
Causes:
primary
- Falls
- MVA’s
- Penetrating trauma: GSW, stabbings
- Sports injuries
Mechanisms of injury
- Hyperflexion: forceful movement of the head forward causing extreme flexion of
the neck
o Ex. Head on motor vehicle collision
- Hyperextension: forceful movement of the head back
o Ex. Vehicle struck from behind, fall where the chin gets caught on furniture
- Axial loading: vertical compression of the spine
o Ex. Diving accidents, jumping from high surfaces, blows to the top of the
head, falls to the buttocks
- Excessive rotation: turning the head beyond normal range
o Penetrating trauma
Secondary
- Worsens the primary injury
o Hemorrhage
o Ischemia
o Hypovolemia
o Neurogenic shock
o Local edema
Signs and Symptoms based on location of injury:
- Cervical injury
o Impaired breathing*
For trauma pts: when checking ABCs assess for C-spine injury at the
same time due to possible paralysis of the diaphragm
o Quadriplegia
o C1-C5: complete loss of mobility w/ paralysis from neck down (hands, arms,
trunk, legs), risk of respiratory depression
- Thoracic injury
o T1: can retain full function of arms, affects muscles of upper chest, mid back,
and abdominals
Most likely can mobilize with a manual wheelchair
o Paraplegia
o Legs and pelvic organs
- Lumbar injury
o Legs
o Leaky (flaccid) bladder
Diagnostics:
- X [Show Less]