NCLEX-RN — Musculoskeletal flashcards
10 of 65 cards free to study here · 12 topics · the whole deck is built into Willys
Fractures, compartment syndrome and the 6 Ps, cast and traction care, hip fracture and joint replacement precautions, fat embolism risk, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis versus rheumatoid arthritis, gout, amputation and phantom pain, and cane, crutch and walker teaching.
Learn deck · part of NCLEX-RN · written against: NCSBN 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, in effect from 1 April 2026 (Next Generation NCLEX; client-needs categories and percentages unchanged from 2023, fact-checked 2026-10-11). Updated 2026-10-10.
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Which findings suggest a fracture of a limb?Pain and tenderness, deformity or shortening, swelling and bruising, crepitus, abnormal movement, and loss of function. An X-ray confirms it, but the limb is treated as fractured until proven otherwise.Fractures
Watch out: an older adult may have only mild pain with a hip or wrist fracture, so an inability to bear weight after a fall is investigated. -
What causes compartment syndrome?Pressure inside a closed muscle compartment rises until it cuts off blood flow to the muscles and nerves inside. Causes include swelling or bleeding after a fracture, crush injuries, and anything constricting from outside, such as a tight cast or dressing.Compartment Syndrome
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How is a freshly applied plaster cast handled while it dries?Lift and support it with the palms, not the fingertips, which can leave dents that become pressure points. Elevate it on pillows, leave it uncovered so it dries evenly, and turn the client so all sides dry; a fiberglass cast sets much faster.Casts
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An older woman who fell reports groin pain, and her leg is shortened and externally rotated. What does the nurse suspect?A hip fracture. Osteoporosis and falls are the main risk factors, and these clients are at high risk afterward for delirium, DVT, pneumonia, and pressure injuries.Hip & Joint Replacement
Why: the hip refers pain to the groin and sometimes the knee, so knee pain in an older adult after a fall can hide a hip fracture. -
Which clients are at highest risk of fat embolism syndrome, and what reduces the risk?Clients with fractures of long bones (especially the femur) or the pelvis, or multiple fractures, usually within the first 24 to 72 hours. Early immobilization and surgical stabilization and minimal movement of an unsplinted fracture reduce the release of marrow fat.Fat Embolism & Other Complications
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Which factors raise a client's risk of osteoporosis?Female sex and menopause, older age, a small thin frame, family history, white or Asian ancestry, low calcium and vitamin D intake, inactivity, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and long-term corticosteroids.Osteoporosis
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How does osteoarthritis differ from rheumatoid arthritis in pattern and stiffness?Osteoarthritis is degenerative, often asymmetric, affects weight-bearing joints and the finger end joints, and causes brief morning stiffness (under about 30 minutes) with pain that worsens with use. Rheumatoid arthritis is autoimmune and symmetric, favors the small joints of the hands and wrists, and causes morning stiffness lasting an hour or more that eases with movement.Arthritis
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What must be kept at the bedside of a client in the early hours after a leg amputation, and why?A tourniquet, because the main early danger is hemorrhage from the residual limb. The nurse checks the dressing and vital signs frequently and reports any increase in bleeding at once.Amputation
Why: circulation (ABCs). -
A client with a weak right leg is learning to use a cane. Which hand holds it, and how does the client walk?The cane goes in the hand opposite the weak leg — here, the left. The client moves the cane and the weak leg forward together, then steps through with the strong leg.Assistive Devices
Why: a cane on the strong side widens the base of support and shares the weak leg's load, like a natural arm swing. -
Which positioning aids prevent foot drop and external hip rotation in a client on bed rest?Foot support such as high-top sneakers, a footboard, or boots keeps the feet at a right angle and prevents foot drop; a trochanter roll placed along the outer thigh keeps the leg from rolling outward.Mobility & Positioning
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About these cards
Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.
Checked against:
- NCSBN 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, in effect from 1 April 2026 (topic outline only; no text copied)
- OpenStax Maternal-Newborn Nursing, OpenStax Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing and OpenStax Medical-Surgical Nursing, consulted as references where available; no text copied.
- Halo, spinal surgery, and crutch-gait care checked against Open RN Nursing Skills (Chippewa Valley Technical College, CC BY 4.0); safe patient handling against the ANA Safe Patient Handling and Mobility standards; sprain care against MedlinePlus (public domain); reference only, no text copied.
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