Capsular contracture: causes, grading, and treatment options
What is capsular contracture? Capsular contracture is the most common long-term complication after breast implant surgery. Many patients only hear the term once symptoms appear. When a surgeon places an implant, the immune system forms a fibrous scar tissue capsule around it. That response is normal. In some patients the capsule tightens and hardens, compressing […]
Lift off test: How to perform and interpret it
Anterior shoulder pain with weakness on internal rotation is one of the most common presentations in musculoskeletal (MSK) practice. The subscapularis is frequently the culprit, and it is also the rotator cuff muscle most often missed. The lift off test, also known as Gerber’s lift off test, isolates subscapularis function at the bedside with a […]
Halstead maneuver: How to perform, interpret, and document TOS testing
A positive Halstead maneuver needs pulse loss and symptom reproduction. Here’s the technique, the stop signs, and the test order.
Lean diet plan: A 7-day template for fat loss
A lean diet plan pairs a 500-700 calorie deficit with 1.6-2.2g protein per kg. Get the free 7-day template, macros, and grocery list.
Impaired gas exchange nursing care plan with a worked example
Download your free impaired gas exchange nursing care plan A fillable plan with space for your assessment findings, the three-part NANDA-I diagnosis statement, short and long-term goals, interventions with rationale, and evaluation criteria. Worked examples for COPD, pneumonia, and pulmonary edema are included. Download template A patient’s SpO2 reads 91%, their respiratory rate is 26, […]
Rheumatoid arthritis test: What your RF and anti-CCP mean
No single rheumatoid arthritis test confirms RA. Read more on what RF, anti-CCP, CRP and ESR each measure, and how seronegative RA is diagnosed on imaging.
Gaenslen test: how to perform, interpret, and document it
The sacroiliac joint accounts for an estimated 15 to 30% of chronic low back pain. It is also one of the least examined structures in a routine assessment. Most clinicians work through the lumbar spine and hip first, so the joint gets skipped. The Gaenslen test loads that joint through torsion, so it tests the […]
Imbalanced nutrition nursing care plan: Current NANDA-I diagnosis
Download your free nutrition nursing care plan template A one-page fillable form with fields for patient information, allergies and medications, the nursing diagnosis statement, and four paired short-term and long-term goals. It also carries interventions, rationales, evaluation, additional notes and a signature line with license number. Download template Most care plan libraries still open with […]
Ober’s test: How to perform and interpret the result
A positive Ober’s test means the leg never reaches horizontal, and pelvic control decides whether you can trust it. Read more on technique and next steps.
House-Brackmann scale: Grades, scoring, and clinical use
Grades I to VI, what each one means at the bedside, and the errors that shift a grade by a level. Read more and download the template.