Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) Practice Exam

How do you test for elevational pallor and dependent rubor?

1. By having the patient walk on a treadmill

2. By resting the patient for 30 minutes before testing

3. By raising the leg and observing color changes

4. By measuring pulse pressure in both legs

The correct answer is: By raising the leg and observing color changes

Testing for elevational pallor and dependent rubor involves assessing the skin's response to changes in position and blood flow. When a leg is raised to a horizontal position, the blood supply to that leg decreases, which can lead to a pale appearance of the skin—known as elevational pallor. This response helps indicate the adequacy of blood flow and the presence of peripheral arterial disease. After the leg is raised and held in that position, when the leg is then lowered to a dependent position, the skin may turn a bright red color, indicating dependent rubor. This color change occurs because gravity facilitates blood flow back to the leg, highlighting any issues related to arterial circulation. Observing these changes in color is a key part of the assessment process when evaluating for conditions related to blood circulation. The other options do not directly test for these specific conditions. Walking on a treadmill is more associated with functional exercise testing, while resting the patient does not specifically target the testing of skin color changes related to blood flow. Measuring pulse pressure in both legs provides information about blood pressure but does not directly assess the color changes needed for testing elevational pallor and dependent rubor.