APPLYING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1.Visit a center for rehabilitative medicine and
observe how the physical therapists assist
patients to become mobile. Interview several
patients to find out how the lack of mobility
has affected their lives. See if you can help
with some of the exercise routines, and try
some of the exercises yourself. Develop a nurs-
ing care plan to incorporate what you learned
about mobility and exercise into your own
patient care routine.
2.Using a partner, practice putting each other
into the following positions: Fowler’s, supine,
prone, lateral side-lying, and Sims’. What did
this teach you about the experience of being
positioned that will be helpful in your
practice? Assess each position for health risks
that may arise from the following factors:
comfort level, body alignment, and pressure
points. Write down the advantages and disad-
vantages of each position.
3.Try maneuvering on a busy street on crutches
or in a wheelchair. How does impaired mobil-
ity affect your ability to perform everyday
chores? How did the public react to your
impaired mobility? What effects might a
permanent disability have on patients, and
how can you promote their coping?REFLECTIVE PRACTICE USING CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS
Use the following expanded scenario from
Chapter 33 in your textbook to answer the
questions below.
Scenario:Kelsi Lester is a 10-year-old girl
admitted to the pediatric unit as a result of a
skiing accident. Unconscious for 2 days, she
may or may not regain consciousness. She is
on complete bed rest and requires frequent
positioning to maintain correct body
alignment and range of motion. Her parents
are nearby and express concerns about the red-
ness developing around her shoulder blades.
They ask, “Is there anything we can do to
make our daughter more comfortable?”1.What patient teaching might the nurse incor-
porate into the plan of care to help Kelsi’s
parents minimize the complications of
immobility for their daughter?2.What would be a successful outcome for this
patient?3.What intellectual, technical, interpersonal,
and/or ethical/legal competencies are most
likely to bring about the desired outcome?4.What resources might be helpful for the Lester
family?PATIENT CARE STUDY
Read the following patient care study and
use your nursing process skills to answer the
questions below.
Scenario:Robert Witherspoon, a 42-year-old
university professor, presents for a checkup
shortly after his father’s death. His father died
of complications of coronary artery disease.
Mr. Witherspoon is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs
235 pounds, has a decided “paunch,” and
reports that until now he has made no time
for exercise because he preferred to use his free
time reading or listening to classical music. He
enjoys French cuisine, including rich desserts,
and has a cholesterol level of 310 mg/dL
(normal is 150 to 250 mg/dL). He admits
being frightened by his father’s death and is212 UNIT VII PROMOTING HEALTHY PHYSIOLOGIC RESPONSES
Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Study Guide for Fundamentals of Nursing:LWBK696-C33_p204-214.qxd 9/4/10 1:59 AM Page 212 MCGH146-c01_1-26.qxd