safe care with neurological conditions

Question 1

what is a fast test?

Answer 1

face- does the patient have a symmetrical face or any signs of a face drop?
arm- does the patient have equal power in their ams? can they hold it up?
speech- is there evidence of slurred speech? can they speak normally?

Question 2

what can the fast test indicate?

Answer 2

facial drooping can be an indication of a stroke or facial nerve palsy (an inability to move the muscles that control smiling, blinking, and other facial movements. )

presence of arm drift suggests a weakness to the limbs and potential for hemiparesis. (one-sided muscle weakness.)

slurring speech may indicate of a stroke due to the weakness of facial muscles.

Question 3

what are the key areas of neurological assessments?

Answer 3

level of consciousness
pupillary activaty
motor function
sensory function
fast test
cranial nerve test

Question 4

what is a cranial nerve exam?

Answer 4

It is used to identify problems with the cranial nerves by physical examination.

Question 5

what do you do on a cranial examination?

Answer 5

ask the patient if they have had any changes in smell?

ask the patient if they can read an amount of text.

look for drooping under the upper eyelids.

checl for sesnsation and symmetery in the face.

Question 6

what is a stroke when does it occur?

Answer 6

a stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut or reduced. this prevents the brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients causing the brain cells to die.

Question 7

what are the signs of a ischemic stroke?

Answer 7

hemiparesis, numbness, confusion or a coma, convulsions, incontienence, slurred speech, facial weakness and headache.

Question 8

what are the signs of a hemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 8

sudden severe headache, nausea and vomiting, confusion, loss of consciousness, as the haemorrhage expands ICP (growing pressure in the skull) causing a coma.

Question 9

some examples of head injuries?

Answer 9

skull fracture, lacerations (skin wound) hematomas (blood clot) and hemorrhage.

Question 10

signs and symptoms of head injures?

Answer 10

severe headache, sezuires, vommiting, fluid from the ears and nose, problems with memory speech and balence.

Question 11

what is meningitis?

Answer 11

infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

Question 12

what is the pre hospital treatment of meningitis?

Answer 12

IV antibiotics

Question 13

signs and symptoms of meningitis?

Answer 13

fever, vomiting, headaches, drowsiness, sensitivity to light, unresponsive, stiff neck.

Question 14

what are the 2 types of seizures?

Answer 14

generalized or focal

Question 15

what is a generalized seizure?

Answer 15

tonic sub strain contraction and stiffness. clonic- rhythmic jerking of one limb one side or the whole of the body

Question 16

what is focal sezuire?

Answer 16

affect one area of the brain and may spread across the entire brain becoming generalised. presentation will depend on the location in the brain

Question 17

what is a syncope?

Answer 17

a faint which is a transcient loss of counciousness usually affected by the blood flow to the vein.

Question 18

what are the causing of of a syncope?

Answer 18

postural hypotension, high or low heart rate, low cadiac output.
sezuires, mingranes or a tumour,
anxiety, hyperventilation or stress.
pregnancy, alcohol or drugs

Question 19

what are the treatments of a syncope?

Answer 19

raise the legs
promote fluids.

Question 20

what are the signs of a syncope?

Answer 20

dizziness, weakness, blurred vision, headache, tinnitus.

Question 21

what are the 4 different types of headaches?

Answer 21

migrane, cluster headache, tension headache and sinus headache.

Question 22

what is a migrane?

Answer 22

severe incapacitating headache. often starts as a throbbing pain in one side which spreads, trigged by caffeine, food, emotions, change in alltitude.

Question 23

what is a cluster headache?

Answer 23

occurs in bursts often during sleep, severe pain in the eye

Question 24

what is a tension headache

Answer 24

caused by a muscle of contractions of the face, neck and scalp. usually dull persistent and non throbbing.

Question 25

what is a sinsus headache?

Answer 25

pain in the forehead, nasal area and eye. pressure behind the face, caused by allergies, inflammation or infection