Deck 52: Assessment of the Musculoskeletal System

Question 1

The nurse is performing a medical history and physical assessment on an older client.Which common findings in the older client are related to the musculoskeletal system?

A) Decrease in bone density
B) Decrease in falls due to lack of activity
C) Atrophy of the muscle tissue
D) Decrease in bone prominence
E) Degeneration of cartilage
F) Reduced range of motion of the joints

Answer 1

Decrease in bone density
Atrophy of the muscle tissue
Degeneration of cartilage
Reduced range of motion of the joints

Question 2

The nurse is assessing a client who reports severe knee pain after a fall.Which question does the nurse ask to determine the radiation of the pain?

A) "What makes the pain better or worse?"
B) "Are you able to bear any weight on the knee at all?"
C) "Does the pain move to another area from your knee?"
D) "How would you rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10?"

Answer 2

"Does the pain move to another area from your knee?"

Question 3

A client has cancer and a pacemaker,and suffers from claustrophobia.Which diagnostic test is the best indicator of the client's bone metastasis?

A) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
B) Arthrogram
C) Ultrasound
D) Thallium bone scan

Answer 3

Thallium bone scan

Question 4

The nurse is caring for a client who presents with achy jaw pain.Which assessment technique does the nurse use to determine whether the client has inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)?

A) Checking for decayed, fractured, loose, or missing teeth
B) Observing the jaw joint as the client chews a piece of food
C) Palpating the joint during movement for tenderness or crepitus
D) Observing for asymmetric joint protrusion when the client's mouth is closed

Question 5

Which instruction does the nurse give to the client before he or she has electromyography (EMG)?

A) "Make sure that you have someone to drive you home after the test."
B) "Do not eat or drink anything for at least 6 hours before the test."
C) "You will have to avoid heavy lifting for 24 hours following the test."
D) "Do not take your cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) on the 2 days before the test."

Question 6

The nurse is caring for a client who is able to flex the right arm forward without difficulty or pain but is unable to abduct the arm because of pain and muscle spasms.Which condition does the nurse suspect based on these assessment findings?

A) Dislocated elbow
B) Lesion in the rotator cuff
C) Osteoarthritis of the shoulder
D) Atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle

Question 7

Which client does the nurse assess first at the start of the nursing shift?

A) Client wanting to know information about a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test scheduled in 3 hours
B) Client who is verbalizing mild discomfort after an electromyography (EMG)
C) Client who reports increased pain and swelling after an arthroscopy
D) Client who refuses to drink more fluids after a nuclear medicine scan

Question 8

An occupational therapist is treating a client with rheumatoid arthritis.Which assessment finding in the client does the nurse share with the occupational therapist?

A) Difficulty sleeping because of pain in the knees and elbows
B) Difficulty tying shoelaces and doing zippers on clothing
C) Swollen knees with crepitus and limited range of motion
D) Generalized joint stiffness that is worse in the early morning

Question 9

Which postoperative order does the nurse clarify with the surgeon before discharging the client who just had arthroscopic surgery on the right knee?

A) Keep the right leg elevated on a soft pillow for 12 hours.
B) Maintain non-weight bearing by right leg for 48 hours.
C) Use ice on the knee for 24 hours.
D) Administer two tablets of oxycodone

Question 10

The nurse is caring for a client with prostate cancer.Which laboratory finding indicates to the nurse that the cancer has metastasized to the bone?

A) Serum calcium, 21.6 mg/dL
B) Creatine kinase, 55 U/mL
C) Alkaline phosphatase, 45 IU/mL
D) Lactate dehydrogenase, 120 U/L

Question 11

The nurse is caring for a client who is to have a computed tomography (CT)scan of the leg.Which assessment question does the nurse ask the client before the procedure?

A) "Do you have any metal clips, plates, or pins in your body?"
B) "Have you had anything to eat or drink in the last 6 hours?"
C) "Do you have someone to drive you home after the procedure?"
D) "Do you have any allergies to shrimp, scallops, or other seafood?"

Question 12

The nurse is assessing a client who is suspected of having muscular dystrophy.Which statement by the client indicates that more teaching may be needed about the creatine kinase (CK)test that the health care provider has ordered?

A) "The Lasix that I took this morning may affect the test results."
B) "The CK test is 90% accurate in demonstrating muscle trauma or injury."
C) "The level of CK will be decreased with skeletal muscle disease."
D) "When muscle is damaged, CK isoenzymes are released over time."