Question 1

A Geriatric Nurse Practitioner is assessing older adults. The Nurse Practitioner knows that older adults sometimes have difficulty following directions during a neurologic examination or diagnostic procedure. What strategies can the Nurse Practitioner use to examine older clients?

Accepted Answer

Providing brief instructions, one step at a time can improve comprehension and decrease confusion for older adults during a neurologic examination or diagnostic procedure. Offering incentives such as sweets can be inappropriate and spreading the examination over 2 or 3 days can increase anxiety and inconvenience for the client. Suggesting a nurse or an examiner who is of their age may not be necessary or practical.

Question 2

A critical care nurse is caring for a client with a neurologic disorder. The nurse regularly records the temperature and blood pressure of the client and has not observed any change in the client's vital signs for some days. However, on a particular day, the nurse observes a change in the vital signs of the client. What would be a priority action for the nurse to take when a change in the vital signs is observed?

Accepted Answer

When a change in vital signs is observed, it is important to inform the physician immediately as it may indicate a worsening condition or an emergent situation. The physician needs to be alerted and informed about the change in order to direct appropriate interventions and care for the client. Delay in communication may lead to further deterioration of the client's condition which may result in life-threatening consequences.

Question 3

The nurse is caring for a client who is undergoing single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). What is a potential side effect that this client may suffer?

Accepted Answer

SPECT imaging involves the use of a radioactive tracer, and while rare, patients can have an allergic reaction to the imaging material used during the procedure. Options A, B, and D are not commonly associated side effects of SPECT.

Question 4

When learning about the nervous system, students learn that what regulates the expenditure of energy?

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system that regulates the body's unconscious actions and is responsible for the fight or flight response, which includes the expenditure of energy.

Question 5

A client is weak and drowsy after a lumbar puncture. The nurse caring for the client knows that what priority nursing intervention should be provided after a lumbar puncture?

Accepted Answer

Positioning the client flat for at least 3 hours helps prevent headaches and allows the puncture site to heal properly, reducing the risk of cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

Question 6

A critical care nurse is documenting their assessment of a client they are caring for. The client is status post resection of a brain tumor. The nurse documents that the client is flaccid on the left. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A critical care nurse is documenting their...

Question 7

The brain stem holds the medulla oblongata. What is the function of the medulla oblongata?

Accepted Answer

The medulla oblongata is responsible for transmitting motor impulses from the brain to the spinal cord.

Question 8

A female client undergoes a scheduled electroencephalogram (EEG). Which of the following postprocedure activities should the nurse carry out for the client?

Accepted Answer

After an EEG, the client should be allowed to rest and any electrodes or markings on the scalp should be removed. The nurse may also need to shampoo the client's hair to remove any remaining electrode gel. Providing caffeine-rich drinks or measuring LOC, heart rate, or pulse rate are not necessary postprocedure activities.

Question 9

What part of the brain controls and coordinates muscle movement?

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is known for its role in controlling and coordinating muscle movement, including balance, posture, and coordination of voluntary movements. The cerebrum is responsible for higher brain functions such as thought and perception. The midbrain and brain stem are involved in basic functions such as breathing and heartbeat regulation.

Question 10

You are caring for a male client who is scheduled for a neurologic examination that uses a radiopaque dye. Before the test, you assess the allergy history of the client and find the client is allergic to seafood. What does the nurse relate the allergy to seafood as?

Accepted Answer

Radiopaque dyes typically contain iodine, which is why clients who are allergic to seafood (which contains iodine) may also have an allergy to radiopaque dyes.

Question 11

A client presents to the Emergency Department status post seizure. The physician wants to know what the pressure is in the client's head. What test might be ordered on this client?

Accepted Answer

A lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, can measure the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and spinal cord. This can help determine if the client has increased intracranial pressure, which can be a possible cause of seizures. The other options (B, C, and D) are not typically used to measure intracranial pressure.

Question 12

A client, suspected of having a distortion of cerebral arteries and veins, is scheduled for a cerebral angiography. What would the nurse tell the client about the upcoming test?

Accepted Answer

Cerebral angiography involves the injection of a contrast agent into the cerebral arteries and veins so that X-ray images can be taken. The nurse should inform the client that contrast will be given and a rapid sequence of radiographs will be taken. This will prepare the client for what to expect during the procedure. The other options are not relevant to cerebral angiography.

Question 13

The critical care nurse is giving report on a client they are caring for. The nurse uses the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to assess the level of consciousness (LOC) of a female client and reports to the on-coming nurse that the client has an LOC of 6. What does an LOC score of 6 in a client indicate?

Accepted Answer

An LOC score of 6 on the Glasgow Coma Scale indicates that the client is comatose. A score of 15 is considered normal, and lower scores indicate varying levels of altered consciousness, with 3 being the worst possible score indicating deep unconsciousness.

Question 14

The Family Nurse Practitioner is assessing a 55-year-old who came to the clinic complaining of being "unsteady" on their feet. What would be a test for equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

The Romberg test, which involves standing with feet together and eyes closed, is commonly used to assess a patient's equilibrium. This test helps to identify any issues with proprioception or vestibular function, which can cause difficulty with balance and coordination. The other options listed may also be used to assess gait and balance, but the Romberg test is specifically designed to assess equilibrium.

Question 15

A client is losing sensation in their arms and legs. The problem appears to be confined to the peripheral nervous system. What does the peripheral nervous system include?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A client is losing sensation in their...

Question 16

A male client is scheduled for an electroencephalogram (EEG). When the nurse caring for the client is preparing him for the test, the client states that during childhood he was mildly electrocuted but miraculously lived. Therefore, he is quite afraid of going through an EEG. In what ways can the nurse help dispel the client's fear regarding the test?

Accepted Answer

The best way to dispel the client's fear regarding the EEG is to inform the client that he will not experience any electrical shock. This will help alleviate his fear based on past experiences and allow him to undergo the test comfortably. Distracting the client's attention from the test may not entirely dispel his fear, and informing the client that he will experience mild electrical shock may reinforce his fear. Encouraging adequate water intake is not relevant to the client's fear of the EEG.

Question 17

The nurse is caring for a comatose client. The nurse knows they should assess the client's motor response. Which method may the nurse use to assess the motor response?

Accepted Answer

Assessing the client's response to painful stimulus is the most appropriate method to evaluate motor response in a comatose client. In this case, the nurse would assess if the client exhibits withdrawal, flexion or extension to the painful stimulus. Option A is not an appropriate method to assess motor response, as it evaluates pupillary response. Option C is used to assess for balance and proprioception, while option D evaluates sensory response.

Question 18

A comatose client is being cared for by a critical care nurse who documents that the client responds only to very painful stimuli by fragmentary, delayed reflex withdrawal. The nurse knows that reflexes in the body are centered where?

Accepted Answer

Reflexes in the body are centered in the spinal cord. The spinal cord is responsible for many reflexes that occur without involvement of the brain, such as the withdrawal reflex.

Question 19

The Family Nurse Practitioner is performing the physical examination of a client with a suspected neurologic disorder. In addition to assessing other parts of the body, the nurse should assess for neck rigidity. Which method should help the nurse assess for neck rigidity correctly?

Accepted Answer

Moving the head and chin toward the chest is the correct method to assess for neck rigidity. This is known as the Kernig's sign, which is positive in patients with meningitis or other neurologic disorders. Moving the head toward both sides or gently pressing the bones on the neck are not appropriate methods to assess for neck rigidity. Lightly tapping the lower portion of the neck to detect sensation is a method to assess for the presence of a spinal cord injury.

Question 20

Which neurons transmit impulses from the CNS?

Accepted Answer

Motor neurons transmit impulses from the CNS to the effectors (muscles or glands), causing them to respond. Sensory neurons transmit impulses from the peripheral receptors to the CNS for processing. Neurilemma is a term used to describe the outer layer of some neurons, while dendrites receive impulses and transmit them to the cell body.

Quiz 36: Introduction to the Nervous System