Neuro Assessment Flashcards
What are 4 things to consider when performing a neuro exam?
LOC
Movement
Sensation
Reflexes
The Glasgow Coma scale has 3 patient responses. What are they?
Eye opening
Verbal response
Motor response
Under what score is a coma
8
How many points does a eye opening response have
1-4
How many points does a verbal response score have?
1-5
How many points does a motor response score have?
1-6
What needs to happen for sensation assessment to be performed?
The patient needs to be conscious
What is a light touch assessment?
Moving fingertips slowly up and down the body
What is superficial pain assessment?
Using a sharp and Dull object and telling the patient to differentiate the two
What is proprioception?
The moving of fingers and toes in different directions, and telling the patient to tell you where it is pointed
What needs to happen for motor assessment to take place?
Patient needs to be conscious!
What are some characteristics of a motor assessment?
Telling the patient to flex arms, squeeze fingers, and telling them to flex and extend their feet against your hand
What are two things that are a noxious stimulant to a patient who is unconscious
Pressing down on fingers and toes, and applying a sternal rub
Decerebrate posture
Straight arms and legs
toes downward
arched head and neck
Decorticate posture
Arms stiff
Legs bent out
Clenched wrists
Bent fingers pressed toward core
What are three parts of the neurological system?
Brain
Spinal cord
Nerves
What are two kinds of nerves?
Cranial and spinal
How many vertebrae are there in the spinal cord?
33
What five spinal cord sections are there
Cervical -7
Thoracic -12
Lumbar -5
Sacral -5
Coccyx -4 fused
How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?
12
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there
31
What happens when there’s a disruption of sensory nerves?
Loss of sensation, including numbness, tingling
What happens when there’s a disruption of motor nerves?
Lots of movement, including paraplegia, becoming paralyzed
What is the name of the system that comprises the brain and spinal cord?
The central nervous system
What is the name of the system that comprises the nerves?
The peripheral nervous system
There are two parts of the peripheral nervous system what are they?
The autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
What processes are affected by the neurological system? There are six.
Remember MMDCMR
Memory
Mental status
Discrimination
Coordination
Movement
Reflexes
What are the six main areas affected by neurological issue?
Remember VBSHFM
Vision
Balance
Sensation
Head/brain
Facial function
Muscle control
“what did you eat for breakfast?”
This is what kind of memory.
Recent memory
Recent memory problems can result in what kind of conditions?
Delirium
Dementia
Discrimination: graphesthesia
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.
What is gait?
How someone walks
What is a negative Babinski reflex
Toes bend downward (this is good)
What is a positive Babinski reflex?
Toes bend upward (this is bad)
What is a heels to shin assessment?
From any position, asking the patient to run the right foot down there left shin, then repeat on the other side
What is a finger to nose assessment?
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.
