Pediatric Nursing Demystified

Fracture

What Went Wrong?

A fracture is the separation of bone. The degree of the separation depends on

the strength of the bone and energy of events that caused the fracture. Frac-

tures are classified in four categories:

Complete: The bone separates into two distinct parts.

Incomplete: The bone does not separate into two distinct parts.

Closed (simple): The bone does not break the skin.

Open (compound): The bone breaks the skin.

There are three types of fractures:

Hairline:An incomplete fracture.

Greenstick:An incomplete fracture where the bone is partially broken

resulting in the bone bending like a broken green stick.

Comminuted:A complete fracture where the bone is broken into sev-

eral fragments.

Nursing alert Fractures heal faster in children than in adults because children

have a thick vascular periosteum, resulting in increased blood flow to the frac-

ture site.

Signs and Symptoms

Pain

Deformity

Edema

CHAPTER 13/ Musculoskeletal Conditions^283

Why is ice placed on the site of a soft tissue injury?

a. Decreased temperature from the ice causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing

blood flow to the site and increasing edema and swelling.

b. Decreased temperature from the ice causes blood vessels to contract, reducing

blood flow to the site and decreasing edema and swelling.

c. Decreased temperature from the ice causes blood vessels to dilate, decreasing

blood flow to the site and decreasing edema and swelling.

d. Decreased temperature from the ice causes blood vessels to contract, decreasing

blood flow to the site and increasing edema and swelling.

Answer:

✔ ROUTINE CHECKUP 2