Peripheral vascular assessment for upper limb

Question 1

How should the client be positioned for an upper limb assessment?

Answer 1

sitting or lying down, with both the upper limbs fully exposed from shoulders to fingertips

Question 2

What criteria should you assess when doing a bilateral inspection of the UL?

Answer 2

• Symmetry, size of the limbs
• colour of the skin
• hair distribution
• general health of the skin (moisture, pigmentations, lesions)
• general health of the nails (colour, texture, lesions)

Question 3

What are the outcomes of palpation of the UL that need to be descibed?

Answer 3

• pain
• tenderness
• temperature
• texture
• moisture
• lumps
• bumps
• muscle atrophy

Question 4

What are the peripheral pulses and where are they located

Answer 4

• Brachial: antecubital fossa, medial to the biceps tendon
• Radial: lateral to the palmaris longus tendon, medial to the radius bone, at the flexor aspect of the wrist
• Ulnar: between flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor digitorum profundus, medially, on the flexor aspect of the wrist

Question 5

What does capillary return check?

Answer 5

Cardiac output

Question 6

How long should capillary return take in a healthy pt.?

Answer 6

2-3 seconds

Question 7

How do you check skin turgor?

Answer 7

lift skin on dorsum of the hand

Question 8

What does the skin turgor test demonstrate?

Answer 8

Hydration level