A nurse working on a rehabilitation unit is assessing a new admission, a client with a stable spinal cord injury. The nurse notes that the client is unable to shrug the shoulders. This finding indicates to the nurse that the level of spinal cord injury in the client is
A) C4-5.
B) C8-T1.
C) L1-3.
D) S1-2.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Shoulder elevation is controlled by the supraspinous muscle, which is innervated with nerves arising from the C4-5 area. Alterations at C8-T1 would produce an inability to spread the fingers. An alteration at L1-3 would prevent the client from raising the knees to the chest. And alterations at S1-2 would prevent the client from being able to press down with the foot.

A Nurse Working on a Rehabilitation Unit Is Assessing a New