Exam 48: Nursing Care of Patients With Central Nervous System Disorders

A patient with a newly diagnosed brain tumor receives dexamethasone (Decadron)IV,which completely relieves the patient's symptoms.What should the nurse explain to the family about the patient's response to the medication?

The nurse suspects a patient with a spinal cord injury is experiencing spinal shock.What did the nurse assess to come to this conclusion?

The nurse is planning care for a patient with a migraine headache.Which actions should the nurse include in this plan of care? (Select all that apply.)

The nurse is assisting with teaching family members about a patient's epidural bleed.Which information about an epidural bleed should guide the nurse's teaching?

A patient has been prescribed the dopamine agonist pramipexole (Mirapex)for Parkinson's disease.Which are important for the nurse to include when teaching about this medication? (Select all that apply.)

A patient with suspected spinal cord and head injuries has a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15; blood pressure 130/82 mm Hg,pulse 102 beats/min,respirations 20 breaths/min,and temperature 98°F (36.6°C).What is the most important nursing intervention during the initial care of the patient?

The nurse caring for patients with dementia.Which intervention would be least helpful when coordinating care for patients who are experiencing confusion?

The nurse is caring for a patient brought to the emergency department after an automobile accident.The patient is fully conscious.For what early signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP)should the nurse be alert?

A patient recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor is found jerking rhythmically in the bed and unresponsive to verbal stimuli.What should the nurse do first?

A nursing home resident with Alzheimer's disease appears extremely distressed after breakfast.On which understanding should the nurse base interventions for this patient?

The physician prescribes intravenous mannitol for a patient who has a head injury and increased intracranial pressure (ICP).Which assessment finding indicates to the nurse that the patient is having a therapeutic response to the mannitol?

The nurse is preparing to assess a patient with a head injury.Which data should the nurse include in this routine neurological nursing assessment?

A patient is diagnosed with a benign familial tremor.Which characteristics of this tremor should the nurse expect to observe? (Select all that apply.)

The nurse is assessing a patient recovering from a tonic-clonic seizure.Which finding indicates a need for immediate nursing intervention?

A patient with a newly diagnosed seizure disorder is being prepared for discharge.What medication should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for the patient to prevent recurrent seizures?

After collecting data the nurse determines that a patient is experiencing cluster headaches.What information did the nurse use to come to this conclusion? (Select all that apply.)

The vital signs for a client with a possible head injury were on admission: blood pressure 128/72 mm Hg,pulse 90 beats/min,and respirations 66 breaths/min.Which vital sign assessment conducted four hours later most likely indicates the presence of increased intracranial pressure (ICP)?

The nurse is determining care for a patient with acute migraine headaches.What should the nurse teach the patient to do first in order to determine a plan of care for the headaches?

The nurse notes that a patient with a head injury has a widening pulse pressure.Which action should the nurse take at this time?

A patient who was in an industrial accident has had a sudden increase in intracranial pressure and is being prepared for placement of an emergency subarachnoid bolt.Which action should the nurse make a priority at this time?