Fractures & Orthopedic Care – PN

Fractures and orthopedic conditions are common across all care settings. PNs care for patients with acute fractures, post-operative joint replacements, and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Key PN competencies: neurovascular assessment (the 5 P's), recognition of compartment syndrome, cast and traction care, and post-operative hip/knee precautions. Fracture classification: - Complete vs. incomplete (greenstick in children) - Open (compound) vs. closed: open fractures have skin disruption communicating with fracture — infection risk - Types: transverse, spiral (rotational force — suspect abuse in children), comminuted (multiple fragments), impacted, compression (vertebral — osteoporosis) - Pathologic fracture: bone weakened by disease (cancer, osteoporosis) fractures with minimal or no trauma On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic is familiar. Run a 60-second scan: breathing work and oxygenation, perfusion and end organs, neuro baseline, likely infection sources, and devices that can fail quietly. When two answers feel partly right, pick the one that reduces imminent harm and...