Walkers

A patient will be using a walker for the first time. You adjust the walker to fit the patient. Which finding below demonstrates that the walker properly fits the patient?

• • There is a 2-3 finger width distance between the hand grips of the walker and the wrists.

• • The elbows bend at about a 15-30 degree angle when the patient holds onto the hand grips of the walker.

• • The patient's back is mid-line with the crossbar of the walker.

• • The crossbar of the walker is even with the greater trochanter.

While the patient ambulates in the hallway with a walker, the nurse will make it priority to?

• stand on the patient's strong side

• stand behind the patient.

• • stand in front of the patient.

• • stand on the patient's weak side.

As the nurse, how would you correctly demonstrate to the patient the proper gait while using a walker?

• • Hold onto the walker's hand grips, take a step forward with the strong side, then move walker forward, and then take a step with the weak side.

• • Hold onto the walker's hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the weak side, and then take a step forward with the strong side.

• • Hold onto the walker's hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the strong side, and then take a step forward with the weak side.

• • Hold onto the walker's hand grips, take a step forward with the weak side, then move walker forward, and then take a step with the strong side.

You're observing your patient use a walker. What finding performed by the patient requires you to re-educate the patient on how to use a walker?

• The patient moves the walker forward by lifting it, takes a step forward with the weak side, and then allows all four points of the walker to rest on the ground.

• The patient puts weight on the hand grips of the walker after moving the weak side forward and then moves the strong side forward.

• • The patient avoids looking at the feet while using the walker.

• • The patient always moves the walker first and then moves the weak side, followed by the strong side.

Which finding observed by the nurse demonstrates that the patient knows how to correctly get up from a chair with a walker?

• • The patient leans forward in the chair and places hands on the hand grips of the walker and pulls up to a standing position.

• • The patient leans forward in the chair and uses the hand of the weak side to push up on the chair's arm rest, while using the hand of the strong side to pull up on the hand grips of the walker to a standing position.

• • The patient leans forward, places hands on the arm rest of the chair and pushes up to a standing position, and then grips the hand grips of the walker.

• • The patient gently rocks the body forward and pulls up on the hand grips of the walker to a standing position.