Musculoskeletal Injuries and Splinting Flashcards
7 cards from real EMR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Musculoskeletal Injuries and Splinting flashcards as text
The 'RICE' acronym for initial treatment of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries stands for:
Answer: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the standard initial treatment for sprains and strains to minimize swelling and control pain.
A greenstick fracture is characterized by:
Answer: An incomplete fracture where the bone bends but does not break completely through
A greenstick fracture is an incomplete fracture seen primarily in children where the bone bends and cracks on one side without breaking all the way through.
When caring for a patient with a suspected pelvic fracture, the EMR's primary concern should be:
Answer: Significant internal hemorrhage and developing shock
Pelvic fractures can cause life-threatening internal hemorrhage because the pelvic cavity can accumulate several liters of blood, rapidly producing hypovolemic shock.
For a patient with an open fracture and exposed bone ends, the EMR should:
Answer: Cover the wound and bone with a moist sterile dressing without reducing the bone
The EMR should cover exposed bone with a moist sterile dressing to protect tissue from contamination without attempting to reduce or irrigate the wound in the field.
A patient has a suspected hip dislocation after a motor vehicle collision. The EMR should:
Answer: Splint the hip in the position found and arrange immediate transport
Dislocations should be splinted in the position found without attempting relocation, as reduction attempts can cause neurovascular injury and require physician-level intervention.
A strain differs from a sprain in that a strain involves:
Answer: Muscle or tendon injury from overstretching or tearing
A strain is an injury to a muscle or its tendon caused by overstretching or tearing, distinguishing it from a sprain which involves ligaments.
When assessing an extremity injury, which finding requires the EMR to consider immediate transport rather than extended on-scene splinting?
Answer: Absent distal pulse with prolonged capillary refill in the fingers
Absent distal pulse indicates vascular compromise to the limb, which is a time-sensitive emergency requiring rapid transport and physician intervention to restore circulation.