What is a critical nursing action when caring for a client in Buck's traction?

In the context of Buck's traction, a critical nursing action involves inspecting the skin under the boot every 8 hours. This is vital because the boot used in Buck's traction exerts pressure on the skin, which can lead to the development of pressure ulcers or skin breakdown. Regular inspection helps to identify any signs of irritation, redness, or injury early, allowing for timely interventions to prevent complications.

Frequent assessment is necessary as the traction setup can affect circulation and skin integrity, and early detection of any skin issues is key to preserving the client's skin health. Inspecting every 8 hours strikes a balance between thoroughness and practicality, ensuring that potential issues are noted and dealt with promptly without unnecessarily disturbing the traction setup.

In contrast, other approaches, such as inspecting the skin every 24 hours, do not provide the frequent oversight needed to catch early signs of skin damage. Likewise, using lotion to massage the skin isn't appropriate as it can compromise the integrity of the traction setup and may lead to the skin becoming too moist, increasing the risk of skin breakdown. Finally, removing the boot every hour would disrupt the traction and could lead to complications, making it an unsuitable choice.