A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who has a knee injury. When describing range-of-motion exercises, the nurse should explain that the knee is which of the following types of joints?

Halo-vest traction immobilizes a patient’s head and neck after traumatic injury to the cervical vertebrae as well as helping to prevent further injury to the spinal cord². Elevating the head of the bed can help improve the patient's comfort and reduce the risk of complications such as aspiration.

a. Placing the client in a supine position is not necessarily required for a patient in halo traction. The position of the patient should be determined by their individual needs and comfort.

c. Applying a pelvic girdle is not necessary for a patient in halo traction. Halo-vest traction consists of a metal ring that fits over the patient’s head and metal bars that connect the ring to a plastic vest that distributes the weight of the entire apparatus around the chest².

d. Elevating the foot of the bed is not necessary for a patient in halo traction. The position of the bed

should be determined by the patient's individual needs and comfort.

a.Skeletal traction is often better than skin traction for reducing and maintaining alignment of a fracture because it involves the insertion of pins, wires, or screws directly into the bone, allowing for greater force and stability.

b.Clients in skin traction typically have less mobility compared to those in skeletal traction. Skin traction is usually used for short-term purposes or less severe fractures and involves attaching weights to the skin using adhesive materials or bandages, which can limit movement to some extent.

c.Skeletal traction involves inserting hardware into the bone, which creates an entry point for potential infection. Therefore, it has a higher risk for infection compared to skin traction, which does not involve invasive procedures.

d.While both types of traction can cause discomfort, skeletal traction is typically more invasive and can be associated with more discomfort and pain due to the pins or wires inserted into the bone. Skin traction, while uncomfortable due to the adhesive and pressure on the skin, generally causes less discomfort than skeletal traction.