Question

A medical assistant is preparing to apply a compression bandage to a client's extremity. The assistant begins applying the bandage at the furthest joint from the client's trunk and moves to the nearest point. Which of the following pairs of terms describes this progression?

1) Proximal to distal
2) Distal to proximal
3) Caudal to cranial
4) Cranial to caudal

Answer 1

The application of a compression bandage from the furthest joint from the trunk towards the nearest point is described as moving from distal to proximal.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a medical assistant applies a compression bandage starting at the furthest joint from the trunk and moves towards the nearest point, this progression is described using the anatomical terms distal to proximal. The term distal refers to a position on a limb that is further from the point of attachment to the trunk of the body. Conversely, proximal describes a position that is nearer to the point of attachment or the trunk. For example, the brachium is proximal to the antebrachium, meaning the upper arm is closer to the trunk than the forearm.