What Is the Nursing Neurovascular Assesment?
A nursing neurovascular assessment is when a nurse checks for “paralysis, pallor, pain, pulselessness, poikilothermia and paresthesias” Within the first 24 hours, the patient will have to be checked every hour.
There are quite a few types of patients that will need to have a neurovascular assessment done due to recently having a cast placed on the legs or arms, surgery or trauma to the musculoskeletal system. It is important to take note of how much pain and lack there of that the patient is in. This will help treat any problems or complications that may occur. Also something to note is the color of the skin. If the skin is pink then it is healthy. If the skin is purple, has a bluish discoloration, blotchy or dark in color this means that there is insufficient venous return.
