Neurosensory System Flashcards
What is the structure of a multipolar neuron?
A neuron with multiple dendrites and a single axon.
What does the spinal cord do?
Transmits signals between the brain and the body.
Define a reflex arc.
A neural pathway that controls a reflex action.
What are the main parts of the brain?
Cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem.
List the cranial nerves.
- Olfactory
- Optic
- Oculomotor
- Trochlear
- Trigeminal
- Abducens
- Facial
- Vestibulocochlear
- Glossopharyngeal
- Vagus
- Accessory
- Hypoglossal
What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?
- Sympathetic Nervous System
- Parasympathetic Nervous System
What factors are assessed in a basic neurological assessment?
- Level of consciousness
- Vital signs
- Pupil response to light
- Extremity strength and movement
- Sensation
- History
- Symptoms
- Medication use
- Surgical history
- Family history
- Lifestyle
What does the acronym BE FAST stand for in stroke recognition?
- Balance: Loss of balance or coordination
- Eyes: Vision trouble
- Face: Face drooping
- Arms: Weakness or numbness on one side
- Speech: Slurred or garbled speech
- Time: Take note of when symptoms began and get immediate intervention
What are the components of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
- Eye opening
- Verbal response
- Motor response
What is the purpose of a lumbar puncture?
To collect cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic testing.
What preprocedure care is required for a lumbar puncture?
- Verify informed consent
- Assist with positioning
What are some postprocedure care measures for a lumbar puncture?
- Maintain flat bedrest 6 to 8 hours
- Encourage fluids
- Monitor puncture site
Fill in the blank: The _____ provides a view of the brain’s structure using magnetic fields.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
What are common interventions for impaired swallowing?
- Thicken liquids
- Aspiration precautions
- Monitor meals
- Provide enteral (tube) feedings
What are the signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure?
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Decreased LOC
- Lethargy
- Increased temperature
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Seizures
What does Cushing’s triad indicate?
Decreased heart rate, irregular respirations, widening pulse pressure.
What is status epilepticus?
5 minutes of continuous seizure activity or 2 seizures within 5 minutes.
What are the therapeutic interventions for seizures?
- Correct cause
- Anticonvulsant medication
- Surgical resection
What are the primary headaches?
- Migraine
- Tension-type headache
- Cluster headache
What are the common symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness
- Fatigue
- Slurred speech
- Vision disturbances
What is the most common cause of traumatic brain injury?
Motor vehicle collisions (MVC).
What are the signs of Parkinson’s disease?
- Muscular rigidity
- Bradykinesia
- Pill-rolling tremor
- Shuffling gait
What is autonomic dysreflexia?
A condition characterized by uncontrolled sympathetic responses due to spinal cord injury.
What are the risk factors for stroke?
- Hypertension
- Smoking
- Diabetes mellitus
- Atrial fibrillation
- Sickle cell anemia
What does the acronym F.A.S.T. stand for in stroke assessment?
- Face
- Arms
- Speech
- Time
What is the definition of a transient ischemic attack (TIA)?
Temporary impairment of cerebral circulation that resolves.
What is yslipidemia?
A condition characterized by abnormal levels of lipids in the blood.
What is obesity?
A medical condition involving excess body fat that increases the risk of health problems.
What are nonmodifiable risk factors for stroke?
- Age
- Gender
- Heredity
- Prior stroke or heart attack
What are some strategies for stroke prevention?
- Control weight
- Manage hypertension
- Control cholesterol
- Smoking cessation
- Use aspirin or warfarin
What are the warning signs of a stroke?
- Sudden numbness or weakness
- Sudden confusion
- Sudden change in vision
- Sudden trouble walking or dizziness
- Sudden severe headache
What does F.A.S.T. stand for in stroke recognition?
- F: Face
- A: Arms
- S: Speech
- T: Time – Call 911
What are common acute signs and symptoms of a stroke?
- One-sided weakness/paralysis
- Dysphagia
- Sensory loss
- Mental status changes
- Visual disturbance
- Speech disturbance
What should be assessed in the nursing process for stroke?
- Level of consciousness
- Restlessness
- Dizziness
- Vision changes
- Pupil changes
- Vital signs
- Pain
- Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2)
- Paresthesias
- Weakness
- Paralysis
- Seizures
- Respiratory status
- Swallowing
What diagnostic tests are used for stroke?
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- Electrocardiogram
- Complete blood count
- Electrolytes
- Glucose
- Metabolic panel
- International normalized ratio/prothrombin time
- National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale
- Carotid Doppler
- Cerebral angiogram
What is thrombolytic therapy used for?
To dissolve clots in ischemic strokes within a 3 to 4.5 hour time window.
What are postemergent interventions for stroke patients?
- Treat cause of stroke
- Physical, occupational, speech therapy
- Antiplatelet agent
- Anticoagulant agent
- Antihyperlipidemic agent
- Antiarrhythmic agent
- Maintain patent airway
What surgical interventions can be performed for stroke?
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Balloon angioplasty with stent
What are complications associated with hemorrhagic strokes?
- Rebleed
- Hydrocephalus
- Vasospasm
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunt
What are long-term effects of stroke?
- Impaired motor function
- Impaired sensation
- Dysphagia
- Aphasia
- Pseudobulbar affect
- Impaired judgment
- Unilateral neglect
What should be monitored for ineffective cerebral tissue perfusion?
- Neurological status
- Vital signs
- SpO2
- Blood glucose
- Coagulation studies
- Medication effects
What actions help with ineffective airway clearance?
- Monitor lung sounds, cough, respirations
- Position to maintain open airway
- Encourage to cough and deep breathe
- Suction as needed
What are the nursing interventions for imbalanced nutrition post-stroke?
- Keep NPO until swallowing evaluated
- Perform dysphagia screen
- Try sip of water
- Request speech therapist evaluation
- Implement aspiration precautions
- Consider tube feeding if necessary
What should be done for patients with impaired verbal communication?
- Assess verbal ability
- Consult speech pathologist
- Answer call light in person
- Listen patiently
- Provide communication aids
What are the accessory structures of the eye?
- Eyelids
- Eyelashes
- Conjunctiva
- Lacrimal gland
- Tears
What are the layers of the eyeball?
- Outer sclera
- Middle choroid
- Inner retina
What is presbyopia?
Decreased elasticity of the lens, leading to difficulty focusing on close objects.
What are the normal ranges for intraocular pressure?
10 to 21 millimeters of mercury.
What are the symptoms of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)?
- Mild eye aching
- Headache
- Halos around lights
- Frequent visual changes
What are the symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma (ACG)?
- Severe eye pain
- Blurred vision
- Halos around lights
- Eye redness
- Cloudy cornea
- Nausea and vomiting
What are common treatments for macular degeneration?
- None for dry type
- Antiangiogenesis medication for wet type
What is Ménière’s Disease?
A balance disorder due to fluid disturbance characterized by vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus.
What are the therapeutic interventions for Ménière’s Disease?
- Tranquilizers
- Vagal blockers
- Bedrest
- Salt-restricted diet
- Diuretics
- Antihistamines
- Vasodilators
