Nclexrn Flashcards: Assistive Devices Fit And Safe Use

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Assistive Devices Fit And Safe Use, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for Nclexrn.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is the correct crutch length fit using body landmarks while the patient is standing?

Answer: Tip $6$ in lateral/$6$ in anterior; pad $2$ to $3$ fingerbreadths below axilla. These measurements ensure proper height for support while avoiding axillary pressure and maintaining balance.

Flashcard 2: Which instruction best describes safe cane placement during ambulation?

Answer: Place cane about $6$ inches lateral and $6$ inches anterior. This positioning creates a wide base of support to enhance balance and prevent falls.

Flashcard 3: What elbow flexion angle indicates proper cane fit when the hand rests on the cane handle?

Answer: About $20^\circ$ to $30^\circ$ elbow flexion. This angle allows comfortable weight distribution and prevents strain on the elbow or shoulder during use.

Flashcard 4: What is the correct sequence to stand up from a chair when using crutches?

Answer: Both crutches in one hand; push up from chair; then position crutches. This technique ensures safe weight transfer from the chair before properly positioning the crutches.

Flashcard 5: What is the correct cane length landmark when a patient stands upright with arms relaxed?

Answer: Handle at the level of the greater trochanter. This landmark ensures the cane provides optimal support without causing shoulder elevation or poor posture.

Flashcard 6: When going down stairs with a cane, which moves first?

Answer: Cane + weak leg first, then strong leg. Advancing the supported weak leg first controls descent and reduces risk of falling forward.

Flashcard 7: Which footwear choice best supports safe use of assistive devices during ambulation?

Answer: Low-heeled, well-fitting shoes with non-skid soles. Such footwear enhances traction, stability, and balance to minimize slip risks with devices.

Flashcard 8: What is the correct sequence to sit in a chair when using crutches?

Answer: Back to chair; both crutches in one hand; grasp chair; sit. This method maintains balance by using the chair for support while freeing a hand for stability.

Flashcard 9: Which crutch gait is used for a patient with partial weight-bearing on one leg?

Answer: Three-point gait. This gait advances both crutches with the affected leg, allowing partial weight on the injured side.

Flashcard 10: Which instruction best prevents falls when using a walker?

Answer: Do not pull on the walker to stand; push from the chair/bed. Pushing from a stable surface maintains walker stability and prevents backward tipping during standing.

Flashcard 11: What is the correct stair rule for crutches?

Answer: Up with the good, down with the bad. This rule prioritizes the unaffected leg for ascending stability and supported descent for safety.

Flashcard 12: Which crutch gait is appropriate for bilateral lower-extremity weakness but some weight-bearing?

Answer: Four-point gait. This alternating gait provides maximum stability for patients able to bear some weight on both legs.

Flashcard 13: What elbow flexion angle indicates proper handgrip height for crutches?

Answer: About $20^\circ$ to $30^\circ$ elbow flexion. This flexion promotes ergonomic positioning for weight-bearing through the hands without excessive bending.

Flashcard 14: Identify the most important pre-use safety check for any cane, crutch, or walker tip.

Answer: Rubber tip must be intact, clean, and non-skid. Intact tips provide essential traction to prevent slipping and ensure safe weight-bearing support.

Flashcard 15: What is the proper walker height landmark when the patient stands inside the walker?

Answer: Handgrips at the level of the wrist crease (ulnar styloid). This alignment allows natural arm positioning for effective support and comfortable grip height.

Flashcard 16: What is the correct rule for stairs when using a cane?

Answer: Up with the good, down with the bad. This mnemonic ensures the stronger leg leads upward for stability and the device supports descent.

Flashcard 17: When going up stairs with a cane, which limb moves first?

Answer: Strong leg first, then cane + weak leg. Leading with the strong leg provides propulsion and stability before advancing the supported weak leg.

Flashcard 18: Which side should hold the cane when one leg is weak or painful?

Answer: Hold the cane on the strong (unaffected) side. Holding on the unaffected side maximizes stability and weight transfer to support the weak leg.

Flashcard 19: Which action is safest when a patient becomes dizzy while ambulating with an assistive device?

Answer: Stop, sit if possible, and assess before continuing. Pausing allows symptom resolution and evaluation to prevent falls or further complications.

Flashcard 20: Which crutch gait is fastest and requires good balance and strength?

Answer: Two-point gait. This gait simulates normal walking with simultaneous crutch and opposite leg movement for speed.

Flashcard 21: What is the correct basic sequence for walking with a standard walker?

Answer: Walker forward, then weak leg, then strong leg. This pattern ensures stability by advancing the device first, followed by controlled leg movements.

Flashcard 22: What is the key safety rule that prevents neurovascular injury with axillary crutches?

Answer: Support weight on hands, not in the axilla. Bearing weight on the hands prevents compression of axillary nerves and vessels, avoiding injury.

Flashcard 23: What elbow flexion angle indicates proper walker fit when holding the grips?

Answer: About $20^\circ$ to $30^\circ$ elbow flexion. This angle facilitates proper posture and weight distribution without straining the upper body.

Flashcard 24: What is the correct gait sequence for using a cane with one weak leg on level ground?

Answer: Cane + weak leg together, then strong leg. This sequence mimics natural gait while providing support to the weak leg during advancement.