Neurovascular Observation Paper

Depending on the organisation’s protocol the RN is working for, neurovascular obersavations will be performed hourly for the first twenty-four hours following orthopeadic surgrey. Neurovascular observations assess the patient’s peripheral circulation and the vascular integrity of the patient’s affected limb (Schreiber, 2016). The neurovascular observation includes assesing pulses, capillary refill, skin color and temperature, pain, sensation and motor function. When the RN is performing this assessment what is done to one limb must be done to the other limb. Comparing the two limbs provides valuable data, for example the RN can ask herself are the limbs of equal color and equal temperature? Also, are the pulses similar, does the patient have the same sensation in each limb and does the patient have the same movement in each limb?