Nurse Application Of The Nexus C-spine Rule - Pre-education Quiz

Before today have you ever heard of the NEXUS C-Spine Rule?

Are you familiar with the NEXUS criteria?

A 25 year old male walks into your ED complaining of some right wrist pain and a “sore neck” after falling from a quad bike on his dairy farm at Mount Compass earlier in the day. The triage nurse applies a hard collar and he arrives in your treatment area. Your initial examination reveals: • Alert and orientated (GCS 15/15) • No signs of alcohol/drug intoxication • Complaining of a. Right wrist pain b. Bit of a sore neck You offer him some Panadiene Forte for his pain, but he declines saying he took a couple of Panadol before he arrived and the pain isn’t that bad. Can you clear this mans c-spine clinically at this point in the examination?

A 70 year old man is brought to the ED immobilised in a hard collar by SAAS. He was collecting the newspaper from his driveway when his dog got tangled in his feet and he fell striking his head on the concrete and lacerating his scalp, he was unsure about whether there was any LOC however he managed to get to the telephone and call for help. Your initial examination reveals: • He is alert and orientated with GCS 15/15 • Complaining of a bit of a headache • Has a superficial laceration on his forehead • Complains of no neck pain even on palpation along the midline • Has no signs of alcohol intoxication • Is freely moving all limbs with no weakness Can you clear this mans c-spine clinically at this point in the examination?

Which of the following criteria allow clinical clearance of the c-spine using the NEXUS criteria (there may be multiple correct answers):

Which of the following criteria do not allow clinical clearance of the c-spine using the NEXUS criteria (there may be multiple correct answers):

List the criteria of the NEXUS C-Spine rule which if satisfied would allow the clinical clearance of the c-spine.