2021 Healthcare Nursing Materials: How Patient Activities Should be Assessed

Activity is one of the basic human needs and is very important for maintaining health. People meet basic physiological needs through various activities. It is very important to maintain normal musculoskeletal functions through activities. How should we evaluate whether a patient's activities are normal? What are the common problems in the assessment of activities in our nursing examinations? What about the questions and test points? Next, I will lead you to learn the relevant knowledge points about assessing patient activities.

1. The impact of restricted activities on the body

1. Effect on the skin: For patients with limited mobility or long-term bed rest, the main effect on the skin is the formation of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are also an important consideration for us.

2. Impact on the motor system: For some patients, it is necessary to limit the range and intensity of activities. However, if the bones, joints and muscles are in a state of limited movement for a long time, the following conditions will occur:

(1)Low back pain.

(2) Muscle tone is weakened and muscle atrophy.

(3) Osteoporosis, bone deformation, and in severe cases, pathological fractures may occur.

(4) Joint stiffness, contracture deformation, foot drop, wrist drop, hip external rotation, etc.

3. Effects on cardiovascular disease: The main effects of long-term bed rest on cardiovascular disease include the following two aspects: orthostatic hypotension and the formation of venous thrombosis. In the exam, the knowledge point we often test is that the complication of patients who are bedridden for a long time is venous thrombosis. The longer the patient stays in bed, the higher the risk of venous thrombosis. The thrombus can fall off in whole or in part, forming an embolus and causing embolism. The main risk is that the thrombus falls off and embolizes the blood vessels in the lungs, leading to the formation of pulmonary embolism. Therefore, for those who need to be bedridden for a long time after major surgery, postpartum or chronic diseases, the patients should be encouraged to carry out active and passive activities of the lower limbs in bed to prevent the formation of thrombosis.

2. Assessment of patient activities

The main assessment methods include: consultation, physical examination and auxiliary examination. By asking the patient's daily activity ability, activity tolerance and influencing factors, physical examination of the patient's muscle strength, body activity ability, cardiopulmonary function and auxiliary laboratory examination are carried out. As a result, the patient's activity needs and ability are comprehensively judged. The main content we examine in the exam is the level of muscle strength and the level of physical activity.

1. The level of muscle strength is divided into 6 levels:

Level 0: Complete paralysis, complete loss of muscle strength

Grade 1: Slight muscle contraction can be seen, but no body movement

Level 2: The limb can move but cannot be lifted.

Level 3: The limb can be lifted away, but cannot resist resistance.

Level 4: Can do resistance exercises, but muscle strength is weakened

Level 5: Normal muscle strength.

2. The body’s mobility is divided into five levels:

Level 0: Completely independent and able to move freely

Level 1: Requires use of equipment or instruments

Level 2: Needs help, supervision and education from others

Level 3: Needs both assistance and equipment and equipment

Level 4: Completely unable to be independent and unable to participate in activities