Cast care

Etiology / Pathophysiology

• Cast immobilizes fracture or injury.
• Swelling under rigid cast can impair circulation and skin integrity.

Medications

No specific medication class was seeded for this card.

Nursing actions

• Perform neurovascular checks and elevate as ordered.
• Keep cast dry and do not insert objects inside.
• Report hot spots, odor, drainage, severe pain, or numbness.

Complications

• Compartment syndrome
• Skin breakdown
• Infection

NCLEX cues

• Use palms, not fingertips, on wet plaster.
• Severe unrelieved pain is not normal.

Memory hooks

• Cast hides skin; check circulation.

Labs / Diagnostics

• Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.

Review notes

• Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.