2024 PN NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question
A nurse reviewing the physical assessment findings in a client's health care record notes documentation that the Phalen test caused numbness and burning. Which disorder does the nurse, on the basis of this finding, conclude that the client has?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The Phalen test is specifically used to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, as it assesses for numbness and tingling in the fingers when the wrists are flexed. This symptom aligns with the compression of the median nerve, characteristic of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Option A, scoliosis, involves spinal curvature and does not relate to wrist or hand symptoms. Option B, bone deformity, is too vague and does not specifically indicate nerve compression issues. Option C, Heberden nodules, are associated with osteoarthritis in the fingers but do not cause the symptoms elicited by the Phalen test. Thus, the findings point directly to carpal tunnel syndrome.