What it means
Care of a client with a plaster or fiberglass cast. A new cast is kept uncovered until dry; wet plaster is handled with the palms, not the fingertips, so it does not dent and press on the skin. The limb is raised above heart level and iced for the first day or two to limit swelling. The skin at the edges is checked and padded, and the limb's circulation and nerves are checked often.
For the nurse
Check color, warmth, capillary refill, pulses, sensation and movement below the cast, and report increasing pain, numbness, coolness or swelling at once (the six P'ssiks peezA memory aid listing six things checked in a limb: pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis and poikilothermia (coldness).Full entry ). Teach the client to keep the cast dry, never push objects inside to scratch, and report a bad smell, drainage, a warm spot or a cast that feels too tight.
Related terms
compartment syndrome
A buildup of pressure inside a closed group of muscles that cuts off their blood supply.
six P's
A memory aid listing six things checked in a limb: pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis and poikilothermia (coldness).