Exam Guide
Recognizing Scoliosis During School Screening
Health Assessment & Documentation · Question from the ATI PN Fundamentals 2023 Proctored Exam study set
Correct answer: Unequal height of the shoulders
Why this is the answer
Asymmetry such as uneven shoulder height, scapular prominence, or waist asymmetry is a classic screening sign of lateral spinal curvature (scoliosis).
The bigger concept
Scoliosis screening is a data-collection skill the PN/VN performs in school and pediatric settings. Look from behind for uneven shoulders, a prominent scapula, an uneven waist crease, or one hip higher than the other, and then have the child bend forward (Adams forward-bend test) to see a rib hump or asymmetry of the spine. Positive findings are referred for scoliometer or radiographic evaluation.
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