Ensuring a steady gaze

If a patient is having difficulty looking ahead at a distant object while you check the pupils, have him or her lie down and stare up at the ceiling. This decreases the effort involved in keeping the neck and shoulder muscles steady.
—Geraldine Calandra, APRN-BC, Rochester, N.Y. (120-18)
close

Next Article in Clinical Pearls

More in Clinical Pearls

Use a laser to get patients walking

Use a laser to get patients walking

A simple technique gets patients with Parkinson disease and dementia to ambulate.

Magic hands to soothe a restless child

Magic hands to soothe a restless child

A trick to help pediatric patients sit still during routine exams.

A tongue blade can detect temporomandibular joint disorder

A tongue blade can detect temporomandibular joint disorder ...

In patients with chronic headaches, ear or jaw pain, a tongue blade test can detect TMJ.