Answer :
Final answer:
An older adult client who sustained a left hip fracture will likely be placed in Buck's traction prior to surgical repair. This form of skin traction helps reduce pain and muscle spasm and stabilizes the fracture to prevent further complications.
Explanation:
The nurse admits an older adult client who sustained a left hip fracture and is in considerable pain. The nurse anticipates that the client will be placed in Buck's traction prior to surgical repair. Buck's traction is a form of skin traction that is commonly used for hip fractures to reduce pain and muscle spasm before surgery.
It is non-invasive and involves the attachment of weights to the leg to gently pull on the fracture. This type of traction is critical for elder patients because it helps in stabilizing the fracture, which can prevent further complications.
For many elderly people, a hip fracture can be life threatening, not just because of the fracture itself but due to the immobility during the healing process. Immobility can lead to serious complications including blood clots, respiratory failure, pneumonia, pressure sores, and urinary tract infections. Therefore, stabilizing the fracture with the correct type of traction, like Buck's traction, is a crucial step before any surgical intervention to repair the fracture.
