NUR 211: Osteoarthritis
The nurse is assessing a patient with osteoarthritis. Which is a priority assessment that the
nurse should include in relation to the diagnosis?
Heberden or Bouchard nodes
(Heberden's nodes are small bony growths that appear at the finger joint closest to the tip of
your finger. Bouchard's nodes, a similar symptom, appear at the finger's middle joint.)
Which diagnostic test will help differentiate osteoarthritis as the cause of joint damage versus
other possibilities?
Synovial fluid analysis
rationale: Analyzing the synovial fluid of the involved joint helps to determine the cause of joint
damage, which may include inflammatory arthritis and gout. This distinction will determine the
factors of treatment.
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Which recommendation should the nurse include when teaching guidelines to maintain a
healthy body mass index?
"Participate in regular exercise, including walking or swimming."
A patient asks the nurse about the use of heat and cold therapies to address the swelling
associated with osteoarthritis. Which therapy should the nurse encourage the patient to use?
Mild cold
A patient is being scheduled for an osteotomy and asks the nurse what the surgery entails.
Which response by the nurse is accurate?
"It realigns or shifts the joint load into a better aligned point or toward a less damaged part of the
joint."
, A patient tells the nurse, "My osteoarthritis is beginning to interfere with my ability to work
despite adhering to my current treatment plan." Which collaborative or independent action
should the nurse perform?
Refer the patient to occupational therapy
rationale: Treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) requires interprofessional care from nurses, primary
care providers, rheumatologists, and physical and occupational therapists, among others. Since
the patient is just beginning to complain of interference, the best approach would be a
consultation from an occupational therapist to help relieve pain and maintain function.
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The nurse is assessing an older adult patient diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
Which information provided by the patient requires follow-up?
Use of glucosamine and chondroitin daily
The nurse is teaching a patient diagnosed with osteoarthritis how to prevent severe pain. Which
intervention should the nurse include?
Teaching the patient to take mild analgesics on a routine basis
rationale: Teaching the patient to take mild analgesics on a regular basis can best help the
patient to manage pain before it becomes too severe. The perception of pain varies from one
patient to another, so it would not be appropriate to encourage the patient to use stronger
analgesics if they are not needed; this would not be the best approach to prevent severe pain
from occurring. Range of motion (ROM) exercises and home safety improvements can both be
helpful to manage osteoarthritis (OA) but would not be the best approaches to preventing
severe pain from occurring.
The nurse is discussing interventions to help an older adult patient with osteoarthritis maintain
function. Which should the nurse include?
Suggesting home safety improvements such as handrails and placing commonly used items
within reach
The nurse is planning care that will help maintain physical mobility for a patient with
osteoarthritis of the hips. Which intervention should the nurse include?
Teaching active and passive range-of-motion exercises
A patient with a long history of osteoarthritis reports increasing pain in the shoulder joints. Which
assessment should the nurse perform to determine if the patient needs diagnostic testing?
Range of motion of the shoulder joints compared with the baseline
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