The nurse is caring for the client.

Exhibits

The nurse reviews the client's history and physical and assessment findings. For each assessment finding, click to specify if the finding is consistent with a fracture or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Each finding may support more than 1 disease process or none at all. There must be at least 1 selection in every column. There does not need to be a selection in every row.

Rationale:

• Difficulty walking: Bone injury limits weight-bearing ability and causes alterations in gait. Localized pain and instability can make ambulation difficult. Clients often compensate with limping to avoid pressure on the injured limb. In DVT, A clot in the deep veins causes swelling and discomfort, making ambulation painful. The heaviness and fullness in the limb interfere with normal gait. Clients may develop a limp due to localized tenderness.

• Pain: A fracture typically produces sharp, localized pain that worsens with movement. Tissue disruption and swelling contribute to discomfort. The pain limits limb use and is often immediate after injury. DVT often causes aching or cramping pain in the affected limb, especially with walking. Venous congestion and inflammation contribute to tenderness. Pain increases when the calf is compressed or when standing.

• Limb heaviness: Venous obstruction causes blood pooling, producing a heavy and tight sensation. This finding reflects impaired venous return, especially when swelling is also present. It is common in unilateral DVT. A fracture typically causes sharp, localized pain rather than diffuse heaviness. Heaviness is more strongly associated with venous congestion.

• Fever: Low-grade fever may occur due to inflammatory response around the thrombus. Cytokine release produces systemic symptoms during clot formation. It can accompany swelling, warmth, and redness. A simple fracture does not generally cause systemic fever unless infection develops. Fever is more indicative of inflammatory or infectious conditions.

• Edema: Venous blockage leads to unilateral swelling due to trapped fluid and elevated venous pressure. The affected limb becomes warm, enlarged, and firm. This is a hallmark finding in deep vein thrombosis. While swelling may occur after a fracture, the client’s presentation shows significant unilateral edema matching venous obstruction.