Final Component (Spinal Cord Assessment)

Hello again,

We are finally at the end of the last component, the spinal cord assessment.

Spinal Cord Assessment:
The spinal cord assessment (right and left function) material will be covered (Appendix E). Reviewing the content on the Appendices A-E, and assessing one level and the level below on the spinal cord assessment (SEE CHART) will be focused upon. There will be no need to do all levels for each patient since each patient’s level will vary. Re-examination, the depth, and frequency of the cognitive/neurological assessment will again be reviewed and summarized related to ThedaCare’s rehabilitation standard of care  (Cognitive/Neurological Assessment, Center for Rehabilitation, 2011). 

LEVEL	ASSESSMENT
C-3, 4, 5	Ask patient to take deep breath (diaphragm)
C-4	Ask patient to shrug shoulders (trapezius
C-5	Ask patient to abduct arm 90 degrees & bend elbow
C-6	Ask  patient to cock wrist up
C-7	Ask patient to straighten elbow (tricep)
C-8	Ask patient to touch fingertips to thumb; handgrasp
T-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12	Ask patient to tighten abdominal muscles
L-1, 2, 3	Ask patient to bend at the hip
L-2, 3, 4	Ask patient to straighten the knee (quadriceps)
L-5, S-1	Ask patient to bend big toe toward head
S-2, 3, 4	Ask patient to tighten anal sphincter

                                                                    Reference

Cognitive/Neurological Assessment, Center for Rehabilitation.(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thedacare.org/ (intranet)

Next time we meet, we will discuss the teaching strategies that are involved.

As always,

Panthera!