Lesson 6: Assessment of Musculoskeletal Injuries

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Patient assessment is most important in the assessment of musculoskeletal injuries. The nurse should have as much insight about the incident, the site of the incident, which may aid in weighing the level of trauma, such as a patient’s position, mechanism of injury, bleeding at the scene, exposed bone or fractures, open wounds, motor sensory deficits, limb function, perfusion and neurological changes. The musculoskeletal injuries can be classified into many categories – soft tissues injuries, fractures, open wound, closed wound, blunt injuries, dislocations, fractures, amputations.

The treatment is based on the type of musculoskeletal injuries, such as, bandaging, splinting, traction, plaster or surgery. The trauma nurse must assess the patient carefully and obtain as much information before treating the patient. The most important care for musculoskeletal injury is pain management. A trauma nurse must perform treatment which is  limited to reducing movement because movement aggravates pain and inhibits healing.  The nurse must follow PRICE – Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. 

At the end of this lesson, you will  be able to understand:

• Assessment of musculoskeletal injury  
• Types of muscular injuries 
• Management of muscular injuries

Please click on the “Materials” tab above to review any presentations and to download any handouts for your future use.

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