What should you do before and after applying a splint?

What should you do before and after applying a splint?

Splinting materials should be soft or padded for comfort. Check for circulation (feeling, warmth, and color) before and after splinting to make sure that the splint is not too tight. After you have splinted the injury, apply ice to the injured area. Keep the person from getting chilled or overheated and be reassuring.

What do you check after splinting?

The pulses, motor function, and sensory function must be re-evaluated after the splint is secured. Ask the patient to wiggle all their fingers or toes (distal to the injury site) and determine if they can sense your touch.

How do you take care of a splint?

Home care

1. Wear your splint according to your doctor’s instructions.
2. Keep the splint dry at all times.
3. If a splint gets wet, dry it with a hair dryer on the “cool” setting.
4. Always keep the splint clean and away from dirt.
5. Wash the Velcro straps and inner cloth sleeve (stockinet) with soapy water and air dry.

What should you do before applying a splint?

How to apply a splint

1. Attend to any bleeding. Attend to bleeding, if any, before you attempt to place the splint.
2. Apply padding. Then, apply a bandage, a square of gauze, or a piece of cloth.
3. Place the splint.
4. Watch for signs of decreased blood circulation or shock.
5. Seek medical help.

How long should a splint stay on?

A splint usually stays on for several days to a week. If your injury causes swelling, you may need a splint until the swelling goes away. You may still need a cast after swelling goes down. Also, if your injury is swollen, both splints and casts may need to be adjusted in the first few days.

What are the procedures in splinting?

What do splints do?

Casts and splints are hard wraps used to support and protect injured bones, ligaments, tendons, and other tissues. They help broken bones heal by keeping the broken ends together and as straight as possible. Casts and splints also help with pain and swelling and protect the injured area from more harm.

What are the 3 things you want to check after you apply a splint?

Watch for signs of decreased blood circulation or shock While checking for tightness, also feel for a pulse. If it’s faint, loosen the ties. If the injured person complains that the splint is causing pain, try loosening the ties a little. Then check that no ties were placed directly over an injury.

Can I unwrap my splint?

A splint can be unwrapped, the cotton split (to loosen the fit), and rewrapped. The best way to tell if the cast needs to be loosened is if the cast feels too tight and you begin to notice progressive numbness (numbness that starts and gets worse) in the fingers.

Can a fracture heal in a splint?

Splints hold bones and joints in place so they can heal after a fracture (broken bone), injury, or surgery. Splints also can help with conditions that affect the joints (such as arthritis) or muscles (such as palsies, which are weakness or paralysis of a muscle).

What should I do before applying a splint?

If possible, apply mild traction to the distal extremity and straighten it prior to applying the splint. Doing so may help improve CSM and reduce the chance of further injury. In addition, it will be easier to shape the splint to the injury.

How often should you put a splint on a broken leg?

A basic rule of splinting is that the joint above and below the broken bone should be immobilized to protect the fracture site. For example, if the lower leg is broken, the splint should immobilize both the ankle and the knee. Pulses and sensation should be checked below the splint at least once per hour.

What should I know about splinting broken bones?

What Facts Should I Know about Splinting Broken Bones? 1 Splints can be ready-made or can be made from basic materials. 2 Unless the person who is injured is in a dangerous setting (for example,… 3 Severely deformed fractured limbs should be straightened by a doctor if sensation… 4 A basic rule of splinting is that the joint above and below…

How are splints and casts supposed to fit?

Your doctor will let you know if your cast is made and padded with these waterproof materials. The splint or cast must fit the shape of the injured arm or leg correctly to provide the best possible support. Generally, the splint or cast also covers the joint above and below the broken bone.