Nursing 213

N213: Health Differences Across the Lifespan 3 Study Guide elsewhere in the body. Symptoms include low oxygen saturations, fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, respiratory distress, and petechiae (red marks on the skin). • Osteomyelitis: This is an infection of the bone and requires IV antibiotics long term. It presents with bone pain, fever, and swelling to the area. • Compartment syndrome: The tissues are compressed by the broken bone. This presents with increased pain to the area, pallor, and paresthesia. Necrosis can occur quickly in four to six hours. It can also cause contracture, infection, weakness, and renal failure. Factors that affect injuries are stress, illness, poor judgement, lack of warming up before exercise, and osteoporosis, which weakens bones. The body attempts to heal fractures on its own and this occurs in stages. The body forms a hematoma/blood clot over the first one to three days. The blood supply then increases to the area and the body begins to form granulation tissue for up to six days. The reparative phase causes the body to start creating a callus from calcium salts and turns connective tissue into new bone structure. From about three weeks to six months after the injury, union starts happening and the body absorbs the callus and strengthens the newly formed bone. For the next 18 months, the body performs remodeling of the new bone and builds the new bone marrow cavity and restores the bone to full strength. During this process, a cast will usually be applied to maintain the alignment of the bones while the body is in the early repair stages. Casts are usually removed at six to eight weeks after injury. Signs and symptoms of fractures: • Deformity/bump • Heavy bleeding • Rotation of extremity • Crepitation from bone fragments rubbing against each other • No weight bearing • Visible bone • Numbness • Flaccid muscles Soft tissue injuries should not be considered less severe than fractures. They can cause severe and limiting disabilities and need medical attention. There are three main types of soft tissue injuries: • Strains: These are small tears in the muscle. They happen with over stretching, trauma, excess force, and repetitive use. • Dislocations: This is when the bone is displaced from its original location by force. This is to be considered an emergency to prevent complications to circulation. • Sprains: These occur when ligaments are twisted around a joint, which can injure or tearthem. Signs and symptoms of soft tissue injuries: • Bruising • Pain • Swelling • Muscle spasms • Tenderness • Heat • Bleeding • Immobility

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