Sensory Function Flashcards
What is sensory reception?
What is sensory perception?
receiving stimuli through the 5 senses
Takes place in the brain - organization & translation into meaningful information
What are the 5 senses we receive information from?
- Visual (eyes)
- Auditory (ears)
- Olfactory (nose)
- Tactile (touch)
- Gustator (taste)
What is your Kinesthetic Sense?
What is your Stereognosis Sense?
What is your Visceral sense?
Kinesthetic Sense - position of body and movement of
body parts
Stereognosis - object size, shape & texture by touch without seeing it
Visceral - Organ changes like a full bladder
What are Sensory Deficits?
loss of sensory reception and perception.
Examples:
* Visual Deficit
* Hearing Deficit
* Balance Deficit
* Taste Deficit
* Neurological Deficit
What is Uncompensated Sensory Loss?
when a client has an impared sense and doesnt use their aids, such as hearing aids, glasses, etc.
Describe these states of awareness:
Fully concious
Disoriented
Confused
Somnolent
Semi-comatose
Comatose
Full conciousness - Fully awake and aware
Disoriented - Difficulty knowing place or environment
Confused - Disorganized thinking, misinterprets stimuli (fan means its cold outside)
Somnolent - Drowsy, can be easily awakened, but still very sleepy and sluggish.
Semi-comatose - half awake and not fully aware
Comatose - unconcious and unresponsive0
What is sensory deprivation?
What is sensory overload?
Too little stimulation
Too much stimulation
How do these factors affect sensory function:
▪ Age
▪ Stimuli
▪ Family Support
▪ Environment
▪ Medication
▪ Ethnicity
▪ Age - vision decrese
▪ Stimuli - Sensory deprivation and sensory overload can occur
▪ Family Support - the absence of meaningful conversation can cause a person to become sensorially deprived
▪ Environment - Individuals who are exposed to loud noises at work can have auditory problems
▪ Medication - taking multiple meds can dull the senses
▪ Ethnicity - White Canadians have somewhat higher rates of overall vision loss compared to racialized groups
What nursing interventions could be used to help a client with Acute Confusion?
Search for the cause and adjust it (medications, infections, illness, etc.)
Also called delirium
What is delirium?
-also called acute confusion
-change in mental status, causing confusion, poor awareness, and difficulty focusing.
Symptoms: disorientation, hallucinations, and fluctuating levels of alertness.
In your home visit with a patient, you observe how she gets up from her chair and moves around her living room. You are aware that the sense that enables Judy to be aware of the position and
movement of body parts without seeing them is:
a. Tactile
b. Auditory
c. Gustatory
d. Kinesthetic
D
As you consider individuals with visual impairment, you reflect on the sense that allows a person to recognize an object’s size, shape, and texture.
That sense is:
a. Tactile
b. Gustatory
c. Kinesthetic
d. Stereognostic
D
When you are assessing the level of difficulty that a patient is having with sight, you ask her what she is able do for herself and what activities she is still doing. You are aware that while she awaits surgery, she may be at risk for sensory:
a. Deficits
b. Stimuli
c. Deprivation
d. Overload
C
Of all the assessments you need to conduct to ensure a patient is safe when she returns home from her cataract surgery, which one of the following would be the lowest priority?
a. Environmental—identifying hazards in home
b. Cognitive tests for impairment
c. Ability to read labels of medication
d. Her mood—risk for depression
B
A patient describes to you her challenges with hearing loss prior to getting a hearing aid. She tells you that the most effective question the nurse asked when obtaining a current history of her hearing
loss was which of the following?
a. “How long have you been deaf?”
b. “Do you also have vision problems?”
c. “Why don’t you pay attention to me while I speak?”
d. “How does your hearing now compare with your hearing a year ago?”
D
During your conversation with Suzanne, she also outlines some important do’s and don’ts in relation to communicating with individuals who are hearing impaired. An important “do” is:
a. Use a normal tone of voice.
b. Avoid using hands when you speak, because of distraction.
c. Speak toward the affected ear in order to enhance hearing.
d. Speak louder to make sure the individual hears you.
A
For individuals who are hearing impaired, environmental adaptations can enhance their quality of life and safety. Which of the following is not an effective environmental
adaptation?
a. Amplification of telephones and television
b. Closed captioning on the television
c. High-pitched amplifiers
d. Lamps that turn on when a doorbell rings
C
As you reflect on the challenges faced by patients, you
recall that sensory deficits happen when a problem with sensory reception or perception occurs. As a result, individuals may:
a. Rely solely on one sense
b. Respond normally to stimuli
c. Withdraw socially to cope with the loss
d. Function safely within their environment
C
In thinking about those who have sensory alterations, you are aware that the most important priority of care is:
a. Safety
b. Regaining full perception
c. Comfort
d. The individual’s ability to communicate
A
In working with individuals who have sensory alterations,
whether visual or hearing, an important goal of care is to:
a. Ensure that they follow your instructions
b. Promote self-care
c. Teach family members to assist them whenever possible
d. Promote dependence
B
Where does perception take place in the body?
In the brain (reticular activating system)
True or false: When sensory function is impaired, the sense of self can be impaired and can affect one’s ability to socialize.
True
True or false: Aging usually results in a gradual decline of acuity in all senses.
True
True or false: The plan of care for patients with sensory alterations needs to include participation from family members in the assessment and in the intervention plan.
True
