When using assistive devices to ambulate on which leg should patients bear weight?

Comprehensive assistive device NCLEX questions quiz that assesses your nursing knowledge on crutches, canes, and walkers. As the nurse, you must know how to properly fit a patient for these devices, how to correctly ambulate with these assistive devices, types of gaits (specifically with crutches), go up and down stairs, and how to get up and sit down from a chair.

In the previous NCLEX review series, I explained about other musculoskeletal disorders you may be asked about on the NCLEX exam, so be sure to check out those reviews and quizzes as well.

Check out the review notes for these topics: crutches, canes, walkers

Assistive Devices NCLEX Questions (Crutches, Canes, Walkers)

This quiz will test your knowledge on assistive devices used by patients for mobility (crutches, canes, walkers).

• 1. Your patient will be using crutches for mobility. After educating the patient on how to adjust the crutches to fit correctly, you assess how well the patient understood the instructions. What findings demonstrate that the crutches were adjusted correctly by the patient? Select all that apply:*
  • A. The hand grips of the crutches are even with the mid-forearm.
  • B. When the patient grips the hand grips of the crutches the elbow bends at about 30 degrees.
  • C. The patient has a 2-3 finger width distance between the axillae and crutch rest pad.
  • D. The patient places weight on the axillae rather than the hands while ambulating.

• 2. Your patient is using a cane for the first time. Before using the cane, you assess that the cane properly fits the patient. Which findings below demonstrate the cane properly fits the patient? Select all that apply:*
  • A. The arm that is holding the cane is flexed at about a 40 degree angle.
  • B. The top of the cane is at the level of the greater trochanter.
  • C. When the patient dangles their arms, the top of the cane is even with the crease of the wrist closest to the hand.
  • D. There is a 1.5 inch gap between the top of the cane and the axillae.

• 3. A patient will be using a walker for the first time. You adjust the walker to fit the patient. Which finding below demonstrates that the walker properly fits the patient?*
  • A. There is a 2-3 finger width distance between the hand grips of the walker and the wrists.
  • B. The elbows bend at about a 15-30 degree angle when the patient holds onto the hand grips of the walker.
  • C. The patient's back is mid-line with the crossbar of the walker.
  • D. The crossbar of the walker is even with the greater trochanter.

• 4. Your patient is prescribed to use crutches for ambulation. The patient can bear partial weight and needs to be taught how to use the two-point gait while using crutches. Which description below best describes this type of gait with crutches?*
  • A. The patient moves both crutches forward and then moves both legs forward to the same point as the crutches.
  • B. The patient moves the right crutch (injured side), then moves the left foot (non-injured side), then moves the left crutch (non-injured side), and then moves the right foot (injured side).
  • C. The patient moves both the right crutch (injured side) and left foot (non-injured side) forward together, and then moves the left crutch (non-injured side) and right foot (injured side) forward together.
  • D. The patient moves both crutches and injured leg forward together, and then moves the non-injured leg forward.

• 5. While your patient is ambulating with crutches he moves both crutches forward along with the injured leg and then moves the non-injured forward. When you document you will note that the patient used what type of gait while ambulating with crutches?*
  • A. Two-point gait
  • B. Three-point gait
  • C. Four-point gait
  • D. Swing-to-gait

• 6. While using crutches the patient moves both crutches forward and then moves both legs forward past the placement of the crutches. This is known as the:*
  • A. Two-point gait
  • B. Swing-to-gait
  • C. Swing-through-gait
  • D. Three-point gait

• 7. While going down the stairs with crutches the patient will move the crutches down onto the step followed by?*
  • A. moving the non-injured leg down onto the step.
  • B. moving the injured leg down onto the step.
  • C. moving both legs down onto the step.

• 8. A patient needs to go up the stairs while using crutches. What finding by the nurse demonstrates the patient understands how to ambulate upstairs with crutches?*
  • A. The patient moves the crutches forward up the step, then the injured and non-injured leg.
  • B. The patient moves the non-injured leg forward onto the step and then the moves the injured leg and crutches up.
  • C. The patient moves the injured leg forward onto the steps, then moves the crutches, and then moves the non-injured leg.
  • D. The patient moves the crutches and non-injured leg forward to the step together, and then the non-injured leg.

• 9. Your patient attempts to sit down in the bedside chair after ambulating in the hallway with crutches. What finding requires you to re-educate the patient on how to sit down in the chair correctly while using crutches?*
  • A. The patient places both crutches on the non-injured side before sitting down in the chair.
  • B. The patient backs up to the chair’s seat until he feels it with his non-injured leg and stops.
  • C. The patient keeps the injured leg extended out in front of him while sitting down.
  • D. The patient holds both crutches on one side and reaches for the hand grips on the crutches and places weight on them while sitting down.

• 10. When a patient uses a cane to ambulate, the patient will hold the cane on the?*
  • A. Weak side
  • B. Strong side
  • C. It does not matter. The patient should choose what side is the most comfortable for them.

• 11. Which demonstration by the patient below shows that the patient knows how to properly ambulate a cane?*
  • A. The patient holds the cane on the strong side and moves the cane and weak side forward together, and then moves the strong side.
  • B. The patient holds the cane on the strong side and moves the cane forward, then moves the weak side, and then moves the strong side.
  • C. The patient holds the cane on the weak side and moves the cane forward, then moves the weak side, and then moves the strong side.
  • D. The patient holds the cane on the weak side and moves the cane and weak side forward together, and then moves the strong side.

• 12. While the patient ambulates in the hallway with a walker, the nurse will make it priority to?*
  • A. stand on the patient's strong side.
  • B. stand behind the patient.
  • C. stand in front of the patient.
  • D. stand on the patient's weak side.

• 13. As the nurse, how would you correctly demonstrate to the patient the proper gait while using a walker?*
  • A. Hold onto the walker's hand grips, take a step forward with the strong side, then move walker forward, and then take a step with the weak side.
  • B. Hold onto the walker's hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the weak side, and then take a step forward with the strong side.
  • C. Hold onto the walker's hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the strong side, and then take a step forward with the weak side.
  • D. Hold onto the walker's hand grips, take a step forward with the weak side, then move walker forward, and then take a step with the strong side.

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1. Your patient will be using crutches for mobility. After educating the patient on how to adjust the crutches to fit correctly, you assess how well the patient understood the instructions. What findings demonstrate that the crutches were adjusted correctly by the patient? Select all that apply:

A. The hand grips of the crutches are even with the mid-forearm.

B. When the patient grips the hand grips of the crutches the elbow bends at about 30 degrees.

C. The patient has a 2-3 finger width distance between the axillae and crutch rest pad.

D. The patient places weight on the axillae rather than the hands while ambulating.

The answers are B and C. Properly fitted crutches should be a 2-3 finger width (about 1-1.5 inches) distance between the axillae (armpit area) and the crutch rest pads during ambulation. This prevents damaging the nerves that are located in the axillae during ambulation. In addition, when the patient grips the hand grips of the crutches the elbow should slightly bend at about 30 degrees. Option A is wrong because the hand grips of the crutches should be even with the hip line (not the mid-forearm), and option D is wrong because the patient should place weight on the HANDS while ambulating NOT the axillae area (this can cause nerve damage).

2. Your patient is using a cane for the first time. Before using the cane, you assess that the cane properly fits the patient. Which findings below demonstrate the cane properly fits the patient? Select all that apply:

A. The arm that is holding the cane is flexed at about a 40 degree angle.

B. The top of the cane is at the level of the greater trochanter.

C. When the patient dangles their arms, the top of the cane is even with the crease of the wrist closest to the hand.

D. There is a 1.5 inch gap between the top of the cane and the axillae.

The answers are B and C. Option B and C are correct because these are the two methods used to determine a proper fit for a cane.  Option A is wrong because the arm holding the cane should be flexed at about 15-30 degree angle (NOT 40 degree angle). Option D is wrong because proper measurement of a cane has nothing to do with the axillae region (this is applicable only for crutches).

3. A patient will be using a walker for the first time. You adjust the walker to fit the patient. Which finding below demonstrates that the walker properly fits the patient?

A. There is a 2-3 finger width distance between the hand grips of the walker and the wrists.

B. The elbows bend at about a 15-30 degree angle when the patient holds onto the hand grips of the walker.

C. The patient’s back is mid-line with the crossbar of the walker.

D. The crossbar of the walker is even with the greater trochanter.

The answer is B. When a patient holds the hand grips of the walker, the elbows should slightly bend at a 15-30 degree angle.

4. Your patient is prescribed to use crutches for ambulation. The patient can bear partial weight and needs to be taught how to use the two-point gait while using crutches. Which description below best describes this type of gait with crutches?

A. The patient moves both crutches forward and then moves both legs forward to the same point as the crutches.

B. The patient moves the right crutch (injured side), then moves the left foot (non-injured side), then moves the left crutch (non-injured side), and then moves the right foot (injured side).

C. The patient moves both the right crutch (injured side) and left foot (non-injured side) forward together, and then moves the left crutch (non-injured side) and right foot (injured side) forward together.

D. The patient moves both crutches and injured leg forward together, and then moves the non-injured leg forward.

The answer is C. The two-point gait is where the patient moves both the right crutch (injured side) and left foot (non-injured side) forward TOGETHER, and then moves the left crutch (non-injured side) and right foot (injured side) forward TOGETHER.

5. While your patient is ambulating with crutches he moves both crutches forward along with the injured leg and then moves the non-injured forward. When you document you will note that the patient used what type of gait while ambulating with crutches?

A. Two-point gait

B. Three-point gait

C. Four-point gait

D. Swing-to-gait

The answer is B. This describes the three-point gait while using crutches.

6. While using crutches the patient moves both crutches forward and then moves both legs forward past the placement of the crutches. This is known as the:

A. Two-point gait

B. Swing-to-gait

C. Swing-through-gait

D. Three-point gait

The answer is C. This description is known as the swing-through-gait. The key word to let you know it is the swing-through-gait is that the patient moves both legs PAST the placement of the crutches. It would have been the swing-to-gait if both legs moved forward to the same point as the crutch placement.

7. While going down the stairs with crutches the patient will move the crutches down onto the step followed by?

A. moving the non-injured leg down onto the step.

B. moving the injured leg down onto the step.

C. moving both legs down onto the step.

The answer is B. When going down the stairs with crutches, the patient will move the crutches down first onto the step followed by moving the INJURED leg and then the patient will move the non-injured leg down.

8. A patient needs to go up the stairs while using crutches. What finding by the nurse demonstrates the patient understands how to ambulate upstairs with crutches?

A. The patient moves the crutches forward up the step, then the injured and non-injured leg.

B. The patient moves the non-injured leg forward onto the step and then the moves the injured leg and crutches up.

C. The patient moves the injured leg forward onto the steps, then moves the crutches, and then moves the non-injured leg.

D. The patient moves the crutches and non-injured leg forward to the step together, and then the non-injured leg.

The answer is B. The patient will move the non-injured leg forward onto the step and then will move the injured leg and crutches up.

9. Your patient attempts to sit down in the bedside chair after ambulating in the hallway with crutches. What finding requires you to re-educate the patient on how to sit down in the chair correctly while using crutches?

A. The patient places both crutches on the non-injured side before sitting down in the chair.

B. The patient backs up to the chair’s seat until he feels it with his non-injured leg and stops.

C. The patient keeps the injured leg extended out in front of him while sitting down.

D. The patient holds both crutches on one side and reaches for the hand grips on the crutches and places weight on them while sitting down.

The answer is A. This requires re-education because the patient should place both crutches on the INJURED SIDE (NOT the non-injured side) before sitting down in the chair. The crutches will help provide weight support to the injured side while sitting down.

10. When a patient uses a cane to ambulate, the patient will hold the cane on the?

A. Weak side

B. Strong side

C. It does not matter. The patient should choose what side is the most comfortable for them.

The answer is B. The patient will hold the cane on the strong side (non-injured side).

11. Which demonstration by the patient below shows that the patient knows how to properly ambulate a cane?

A. The patient holds the cane on the strong side and moves the cane and weak side forward together, and then moves the strong side.

B. The patient holds the cane on the strong side and moves the cane forward, then moves the weak side, and then moves the strong side.

C. The patient holds the cane on the weak side and moves the cane forward, then moves the weak side, and then moves the strong side.

D. The patient holds the cane on the weak side and moves the cane and weak side forward together, and then moves the strong side.

The answer is A: The patient holds the cane on the strong side and moves the cane and weak side forward TOGETHER, and then moves strong side.

12. While the patient ambulates in the hallway with a walker, the nurse will make it priority to?

A. stand on the patient’s strong side.

B. stand behind the patient.

C. stand in front of the patient.

D. stand on the patient’s weak side.

The answer is D. The nurse should stand on the patient’s weak side while the patient ambulates with a walker.

13. As the nurse, how would you correctly demonstrate to the patient the proper gait while using a walker?

A. Hold onto the walker’s hand grips, take a step forward with the strong side, then move walker forward, and then take a step with the weak side.

B. Hold onto the walker’s hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the weak side, and then take a step forward with the strong side.

C. Hold onto the walker’s hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the strong side, and then take a step forward with the weak side.

D. Hold onto the walker’s hand grips, take a step forward with the weak side, then move walker forward, and then take a step with the strong side.

The answer is B: The correct gait with a walker is to: Hold onto the walker’s hand grips, move walker forward, then take a step forward with the weak side, and then take a step forward with the strong side.

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