Courses > Nursing Assessment > Musculoskeletal Assessment
NURSING ASSESSMENT
Target Audience: Registered Nurses, CEPI & Students
During any initial clinical assessment, the cardinal symptoms act as real guideposts, guiding the nurse in the rapid identification of worrying situations and in the orientation of the diagnosis.
Symptômes
Essential signals to identify to ensure effective and safe patient management. Recognizing and interpreting them is a fundamental pillar of modern nursing practice.
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Symptoms Covered in this training
- Muscle or joint pain
- Stiffness, swelling, or redness of the joints
- Decreased range of motion or strength
- Limping, difficulty walking or performing certain movements
- Deformities, suspected fractures
Musculoskeletal Assessment
The Locomotor System and Musculoskeletal Pathologies Assessment training allows nurses and health professionals to acquire in-depth clinical mastery of the locomotor examination. This 8:40 hour training in a hybrid format combines theory, video demonstrations and practical workshops. It covers the complete evaluation of joints, muscles and bones, the recognition of joint pain, swelling, stiffness or deformities, as well as the detection of fractures, arthritis and muscle disorders. This training is essential to strengthen clinical judgment and the nursing approach with patients with locomotor disorders.
OBJECTIVES
TRAINING
SKILLS DEVELOPED
MODULE CONTENT
TRAINING CONTENT
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8h40 of training in hybrid mode
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8 explanatory video clips (≈ 2 hours)
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5 In-Depth Reference Articles (Merck Manual, OIIQ)
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10 downloadable resources (evaluation grids, test sheets, anatomical diagrams)
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Interactive exercises and formative self-assessments
- In-person activity (4 h): Integration workshops and clinical simulations: complete obstetric examination, evaluation of the fetal heart rhythm, recognition of warning signs and practice of fetal monitoring.
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Certificate of completion: Issued at the end of the training.
FORMAT: HYBRID
THEORETICAL COMPONENT: Asynchronous – E-learning (4h40)
PRACTICAL COMPONENT: In-person (4h)
- March 5, 2026 and June 11, 2026
- From 4 pm to 8 pm
COURSE CODE: EVAL-1831
MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 8 Participants
LANGUAGE: French
PRICE: $305.00 +tx
TRAINING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
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Describe the anatomical, immunological, and pathophysiological foundations of systemic rheumatic diseases.
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Identify the clinical signs and symptoms of inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, systemic sclerosis, Sjögren’s syndrome, vasculitides, inflammatory myopathies).
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Recognize extra-articular manifestations: skin, respiratory, cardiac, renal, and neurological involvement.
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Perform a comprehensive assessment of patients presenting with arthralgia or systemic involvement (medical history, musculoskeletal exam, skin and general exam).
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Interpret relevant laboratory tests (ESR, CRP, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, anti-CCP) and imaging findings.
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Distinguish autoimmune diseases from mechanical or infectious causes.
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Recognize rheumatological emergencies (vasculitis, acute myositis, prolonged systemic fever).
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Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team in the follow-up of patients with chronic systemic disease.
SKILLS DEVELOPED
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Conduct an integrated assessment of musculoskeletal and immune systems.
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Identify signs of joint and systemic inflammation (redness, heat, swelling, rash, fever, fatigue).
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Use and interpret diagnostic tools in rheumatology (serological tests, imaging, pain and function scales).
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Differentiate localized joint conditions from multisystem autoimmune diseases.
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Develop coherent nursing clinical hypotheses and prioritize interventions.
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Document, communicate, and plan nursing follow-up for patients with progressive chronic conditions.
TRAINING PLAN
HYBRID MODE
I- ASYNCHRONOUS COMPONENT (E-learning)
Duration: 4h40
Module 1: Anatomy and Terminology of the Musculoskeletal System
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Bone, joint, muscular and connective structures.
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Terminology and functional anatomical landmarks.
Module 2: General Principles of Musculoskeletal Assessment
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Inspection: posture, walking, symmetry, deformities.
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Palpation: heat, edema, pain, crackling.
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Assessment: active and passive range of motion, muscle strength, joint stability.
Module 3: Regional Assessment
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Upper limbs: shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.
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Lower limbs: hip, knee, ankle and foot.
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Cervical, dorsal and lumbar spine: mobility and associated pain.
Module 4: Common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system
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Joint disorders: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis, gout, pseudogout, spondyloarthropathy.
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Muscle disorders: myositis, contusions, tears, inflammatory myopathies.
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Soft tissue disorders: tendonitis, bursitis, epicondylitis, plantar fasciitis.
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Traumatic conditions: sprains, dislocations, fractures (open, comminuted, femoral neck, wrist, knee).
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Metabolic or systemic diseases: osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, neuropathic arthropathy.
Module 5: Specific Assessment: Examination of the Knee and Symptomatic Patient
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Detailed clinical examination techniques of the knee: inspection, palpation, flow test and stability tests (Lachman, anterior drawer).
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Recognition of joint effusions, deformities, erythema, instability.
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Clinical correlation with common causes: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, post-traumatic or infectious effusion.
II- IN-PERSON COMPONENT
Duration: 4 hours
Module 6: Clinical cases by symptoms
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Muscle or joint pain.
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Morning stiffness, swelling, redness of the joints.
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Decreased joint strength or range of motion.
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Lameness, difficulty walking or performing certain gestures.
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Suspected deformity or fracture.
Module 7: Practical Physical Examination Workshops
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Application of examination manoeuvres by region.
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Targeted palpation, identification of anatomical landmarks.
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Assessment of pain and functional risk.
Module 8: Clinical Interpretation and Care Plan
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Differential diagnosis between mechanical, inflammatory and traumatic damage.
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Nursing documentation: observation, analysis, formulation of hypotheses.
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Prevention and teaching: postural counselling, pain management, mobility.
Evaluation of participation: attendance, self-evaluations and active participation in workshops.
Certificate issued: official certificate validating 8 hours and 40 minutes of training.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
- Be a registered nurse or nursing student.
- Basic knowledge of anatomy, physiology and clinical method.
- Access to a computer or tablet with an Internet connection for the asynchronous part.
- Mandatory participation in practical workshops to validate skills.
- Motivation to deepen clinical evaluation and to invest in professional reflection.
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OUR NURSE INSTRUCTORS
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Professional supervision: Our experienced nursing trainers provide personalized educational and clinical support.
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Academic platform: Access to a secure and interactive learning space, facilitating the follow-up of modules, exchanges and remote support.
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Validated resources: Provision of educational documents, practical tools and repositories to download, all validated by our experts.
READY TO TAKE YOUR PRACTICE TO THE NEXT LEVEL?
Broaden your field of expertise and develop your clinical judgment.
Join a training course designed by passionate nurses, where science, humanity and integration meet to strengthen your expertise and professional impact.
Inspection
Visual observation of the patient’s body looking for abnormalities in shape, color, posture, or behavior (first step of clinical exam).
Auscultation
Listening to sounds produced by internal organs (heart, lungs, intestines) via stethoscope to assess function or detect anomalies.
Palpation
Touching areas of the body to evaluate texture, temperature, volume, or tissue sensitivity; identifies masses, pain, or internal abnormalities.
Percussion
Tapping areas of the body to listen for resonance and determine the density of underlying structures (air, fluid, solid).
Analysis
Clinical reasoning step where the professional interprets the gathered signs and symptoms to form hypotheses or identify priority health issues.
Intervention
Execution of planned nursing actions to correct, improve, or stabilize the patient’s condition based on analysis and care goals.
Symptom based Approach
Here, symptoms suggestive of widespread connective tissue involvement or systemic disease are assessed.
- Polyarthralgia (pain in multiple joints)
- Chronic fatigue
- Joint swelling, redness, or warmth
- Skin rash, photosensitivity
- Systemic signs: prolonged fever, weight loss
