Fundamentals of Nursing Q 336
A 50-year-old widower has arthritis and remains in bed too long because it hurts to get started. Which intervention should the nurse plan?
A. Telling the client to strictly limit the amount of movement of his inflamed joints.
B. Teaching the client's family how to transfer the client into a wheelchair.
C. Teaching the client the proper method for massaging inflamed, sore joints.
D. Encouraging gentle range-of-motion exercises after administering aspirin and before rising.
Correct Answer: D. Encouraging gentle range-of-motion exercises after administering aspirin and before rising.
Aspirin raises the pain threshold and, although range-of-motion exercises hurt, mild exercise can relieve pain on rising. A tailored program that includes a balance of three types of exercises — range-of-motion, strengthening, and endurance — can relieve the symptoms of arthritis and protect joints from further damage.
Option A: Strict limitation of motion only increases the client’s pain. The stiffness, pain, and swelling associated with arthritis can severely reduce the range of motion of joints (the distance joints can move in certain directions). Avoiding physical activity because of pain or discomfort also can lead to significant muscle loss and excessive weight pain.
Option B: Having others transfer the client into a wheelchair does not increase his feelings of dependency. Range-of-motion exercises (also called stretching or flexibility exercises) help maintain normal joint function by increasing and preserving joint mobility and flexibility.
Option C: Massage increases inflammation and should be avoided with this client. During the course of a range-of-motion exercise program, the joints are stretched progressively farther until the normal or near-normal range is achieved and maintained.