Question

While setting up a client's food tray, the nurse identifies tremoring of the hand when it lies in the client's lap. The tremor disappears when the client reaches for silverware. What type of tremor should the nurse document in the client's medical record?

1. Resting tremor
2. Intention tremor
3. Voluntary tremor
4. Idiopathic tremor

Answer 1

The tremor observed in the client is a resting tremor, which is present when the muscles are relaxed but subsides during intentional movement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should document the tremor as a resting tremor.

Resting tremors are a form of involuntary shaking that occur when the muscles are at rest, but they diminish or disappear with voluntary movements. This type of tremor is often associated with Parkinson's disease and can be observed in the hands, arms, or legs when the affected part is not in motion and supported against gravity.

In contrast, intention tremors occur during targeted movement, such as reaching for an object. Voluntary tremors occur during any voluntary movement and idiopathic tremors have no known cause and could manifest at rest or during movement.