The nurse is caring for a patient who is hospitalized with a possible seizure disorder. To determine the cause of the patient's symptoms, the nurse will anticipate the need to teach the patient about which of the following tests?
- A. Cerebral angiography
- B. Evoked potential studies
- C. Electromyography (EMG)
- D. Electroencephalography (EEG)
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Seizure disorders are usually studied using EEG testing. Evoked potential is used for diagnosing problems with the visual or auditory systems. Cerebral angiography is used to diagnose vascular problems. EMG is used to evaluate electrical innervation to skeletal muscle.
You may also like to solve these questions
When caring for a patient who has had cerebral angiography, which of the following nursing actions should be included in the plan of care?
- A. Ask about headache and photophobia.
- B. Keep patient NPO until gag reflex returns.
- C. Check pulse and blood pressure frequently.
- D. Assess orientation to person, place, and time.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Since a catheter is inserted into an artery (such as the femoral artery) during cerebral angiography, the nurse should assess for bleeding after this procedure. The other nursing assessments are not necessary after angiography.
Which of the following actions should the nurse implement to assess the functioning of the trigeminal and facial nerves (CN V and VII) in a patient?
- A. Apply a cotton wisp strand to the cornea.
- B. Have the patient read a magazine or book.
- C. Shine a bright light into the patient's pupil.
- D. Check for unilateral drooping of the eyelids.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The trigeminal and facial nerves are responsible for the corneal reflex. The optic nerve is tested by having the patient read a Snellen chart or a newspaper. Assessment of pupil response to light and ptosis are used to check function of the oculomotor nerve.
The nurse is admitting a patient with a head injury who is acutely confused. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Ask family members about the patient's health history.
- B. Ask leading questions to assist in obtaining health data.
- C. Wait until the patient is better oriented to ask questions.
- D. Obtain only the physiologic neurological assessment data.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When admitting a patient with confusion, the nurse should obtain health history information from others who have knowledge about the patient's health to obtain accurate data. Waiting until the patient is oriented or obtaining only physiological data will result in incomplete assessment data, this could adversely affect decision-making about treatment. Asking leading questions may result in inaccurate or incomplete information.
A patient has a lesion that affects lower motor neurons. During assessment of the patient's lower extremities, which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
- A. Spasticity
- B. Flaccidity
- C. Loss of sensation
- D. Hyperactive reflexes
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Because the cell bodies of lower motor neurons are directly affected, a lesion results in flaccidity, loss of muscle tone, and decreased reflexes. Spasticity and hyperactive reflexes are associated with upper motor neuron lesions. Loss of sensation is related to sensory nerve damage, not motor neuron lesions.
After reviewing a patient's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, which of the following results is most important for the nurse to communicate to the health care provider?
- A. Specific gravity 1.007
- B. Protein 6.5 g/L
- C. White blood cell (WBC) count 5 x 10^6/L
- D. Glucose 2.5 mmol/L
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The protein level is high. The specific gravity, WBCs, and glucose values are normal.
Nokea