A nurse at an extended-care facility is instructing a class of assistive personnel (AP) about the use of assistive devices during client ambulation.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include about assisting clients who use a cane?

Choice A rationale

Full-thickness tissue loss extending to underlying support structures such as muscle, tendon, or bone is characteristic of a stage 4 pressure ulcer, not a stage 312.
Choice B rationale
A stage 3 pressure ulcer involves full-thickness skin loss and may appear as a deep crater. There may be damage to or necrosis of subcutaneous tissue that may extend down to, but not through, underlying fascia. This description matches the statement in Choice B, making it the correct answer.
Choice C rationale
A shallow, ruptured or intact skin blister without slough is more indicative of a stage 2 pressure ulcer. In a stage 2 pressure ulcer, there is partial-thickness loss of dermis presenting as a shallow open ulcer with a red-pink wound bed.
Choice D rationale
Unbroken skin with un-blancheable erythema is characteristic of a stage 1 pressure ulcer, not a stage 3. In a stage 1 pressure ulcer, the skin is not broken, but it has redness that does not lighten (or blanch) when you press on it.

Choice A rationale

The client should lift the walker and place it down in front of her. This is because lifting the walker provides stability and support as the client moves. It’s important for the client to move the walker first, then step forward to ensure balance and prevent falls.
Choice B rationale
Walking in front of the client to guide her in moving the walker is not the best practice. The client should be allowed to set the pace and the nurse should be beside or slightly behind the client to provide assistance if needed.
Choice C rationale
Having the client move one leg forward with the walker is not the most effective way to use a walker. Both legs should move forward after the walker has been placed down in front of the client.
Choice D rationale
Making sure that the upper bar of the walker is level with the client’s waist is a good practice, but it’s not the best answer for this question. The height of the walker should be adjusted so that the handles are at the level of the client’s wrists when the client’s arms are hanging down. This allows the client to maintain a slight bend in their elbows when holding the handles.