Neuro Assessment

Question 1

What are 4 things to consider when performing a neuro exam?

Answer 1

LOC
Movement
Sensation
Reflexes

Question 2

The Glasgow Coma scale has 3 patient responses. What are they?

Answer 2

Eye opening
Verbal response
Motor response

Question 3

Under what score is a coma

Answer 3

8

Question 4

How many points does a eye opening response have

Answer 4

1-4

Question 5

How many points does a verbal response score have?

Answer 5

1-5

Question 6

How many points does a motor response score have?

Answer 6

1-6

Question 7

What needs to happen for sensation assessment to be performed?

Answer 7

The patient needs to be conscious

Question 8

What is a light touch assessment?

Answer 8

Moving fingertips slowly up and down the body

Question 9

What is superficial pain assessment?

Answer 9

Using a sharp and Dull object and telling the patient to differentiate the two

Question 10

What is proprioception?

Answer 10

The moving of fingers and toes in different directions, and telling the patient to tell you where it is pointed

Question 11

What needs to happen for motor assessment to take place?

Answer 11

Patient needs to be conscious!

Question 12

What are some characteristics of a motor assessment?

Answer 12

Telling the patient to flex arms, squeeze fingers, and telling them to flex and extend their feet against your hand

Question 13

What are two things that are a noxious stimulant to a patient who is unconscious

Answer 13

Pressing down on fingers and toes, and applying a sternal rub

Question 14

Decerebrate posture

Answer 14

Straight arms and legs
toes downward
arched head and neck

Question 15

Decorticate posture

Answer 15

Arms stiff
Legs bent out
Clenched wrists
Bent fingers pressed toward core

Question 16

What are three parts of the neurological system?

Answer 16

Brain
Spinal cord
Nerves

Question 17

What are two kinds of nerves?

Answer 17

Cranial and spinal

Question 18

How many vertebrae are there in the spinal cord?

Answer 18

33

Question 19

What five spinal cord sections are there

Answer 19

Cervical -7
Thoracic -12
Lumbar -5
Sacral -5
Coccyx -4 fused

Question 20

How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?

Answer 20

12

Question 21

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there

Answer 21

31

Question 22

What happens when there’s a disruption of sensory nerves?

Answer 22

Loss of sensation, including numbness, tingling

Question 23

What happens when there’s a disruption of motor nerves?

Answer 23

Lots of movement, including paraplegia, becoming paralyzed

Question 24

What is the name of the system that comprises the brain and spinal cord?

Answer 24

The central nervous system

Question 25

What is the name of the system that comprises the nerves?

Answer 25

The peripheral nervous system

Question 26

There are two parts of the peripheral nervous system what are they?

Answer 26

The autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system

Question 27

What processes are affected by the neurological system? There are six. Remember MMDCMR

Answer 27

Memory Mental status Discrimination Coordination Movement Reflexes

Question 28

What are the six main areas affected by neurological issue? Remember VBSHFM

Answer 28

Vision Balance Sensation Head/brain Facial function Muscle control

Question 29

“what did you eat for breakfast?” This is what kind of memory.

Answer 29

Recent memory

Question 30

Recent memory problems can result in what kind of conditions?

Answer 30

Delirium Dementia

Question 31

Discrimination: graphesthesia

Answer 31

Asking the patient to close their eyes and using a blunt instrument to write a letter on the patient’s palm. Then asking the patient to tell the nurse the letter.

Question 32

What is gait?

Answer 32

How someone walks

Question 33

What is a negative Babinski reflex

Answer 33

Toes bend downward (this is good)

Question 34

What is a positive Babinski reflex?

Answer 34

Toes bend upward (this is bad)

Question 35

What is a heels to shin assessment?

Answer 35

From any position, asking the patient to run the right foot down there left shin, then repeat on the other side

Question 36

What is a finger to nose assessment?

Answer 36

Asking the patient to touch their nose. Then the nurse moving his or her finger to various points in from the patient’s face while they continue to touch their finger.