Seizure Quiz
A client's husband asks, "What should I do if my wife has a seizure to keep her safe?" Which response by the nurse is correct? "Insert a padded tongue blade in your wife's mouth." "Restrain your wife." "Place your wife in the side-lying position." "Monitor your wife's blood pressure."
"Place your wife in the side-lying position." Rationale: During a seizure, placing the client in a side-lying position will help keep the client safe and promote oxygenation. Restraining the client, monitoring blood pressure, and inserting a tongue blade in the client's mouth will not keep the client safe during a seizure.
A client has abnormal electrical activity that is contained to a limited area of the brain. Which type of seizure is the client experiencing? Focal Febrile Tonic-clonic Generalized
Focal Rationale: Focal seizures (also known as partial seizures) occur when abnormal electrical activity is contained to a limited area of the brain. Generalized seizures affect both hemispheres in the brain. Tonic-clonic and febrile seizures are types of generalized seizures, not focal seizures.
A client is having a seizure. Which nursing intervention is of immediate importance? Administering medication Placing a padded tongue blade in the client's mouth Maintaining the airway Intubating the client
Maintaining the airway Rationale: The immediate nursing interventions for a client during a seizure include ensuring the client's safety and maintaining the client's airway. It is not common for a client to be intubated during a seizure. Medication may be administered following the seizure. Never place anything in a client's mouth during a seizure; loose teeth may be knocked out and swallowed.
Which assessment data should the nurse obtain when completing a health history on a client with a seizure disorder? Presence of auras Level of consciousness Vital signs Neurologic exam
Presence of auras Rationale: When completing a health history on a client with a seizure disorder, the nurse should obtain information about the client's aura. Vital signs, level of consciousness, and a neurologic exam are parts of the physical examination.
The nurse is admitting a client with a history of frequent tonic-clonic seizures. Which information would be most valuable for the nurse to obtain when performing the health history assessment? (Select all that apply.) Presence of auras Incontinence during seizure Duration of seizures Age of seizure onset Triggers for seizures
Presence of auras Age of seizure onset Triggers for seizures Rationale: The nurse will need information about triggers to provide safe and effective care for the client. The client must not be exposed to known triggers. The nurse would ask the client at what age the seizures began. This will let the nurse know how many years the client has had seizure disorder. The nurse would ask about auras. This information helps the nurse to assess for potential seizure activity. The duration of seizures may vary. The client will not be able to give an accurate answer to this question. Incontinence during a seizure is an expected finding. This information will not provide valuable information in the care of this client.
A client has been taking anticonvulsant medication for a seizure disorder. Which diagnostic test should the nurse expect the healthcare provider to prescribe? Serum glucose Serum calcium Triglycerides Lipid panel
Serum calcium Rationale: Antiseizure medications, such as phenytoin (Dilantin), can contribute to the demineralization of bone, and the serum calcium should be monitored. While the results of monitoring blood lipids, triglycerides, and serum glucose are important as health indicators, they are not directly associated with seizure disorders.
A client is experiencing a seizure and requires immediate intervention to preserve life. Which type of seizure is the client experiencing? Status epilecticus Petit mal seizure Partial seizure Complex partial seizure
Status epilecticus Rationale: Status epilepticus is a continuous seizure that lasts for more than 30 minutes or a series of seizures during which consciousness is not regained. Status epilepticus requires immediate intervention to preserve life. All seizures are an important indicator of a physiologic problem, but partial seizures, petit mal seizures, and complex partial seizures are not immediately life threatening.
Medication has been ineffective in controlling a client's seizures. Which treatment option should the nurse suspect will be discussed with the client? Herbal remedies Surgical resection More sleep Head massage
Surgical resection Rationale: Intractable seizures occur in 30% of clients with a seizure disorder. Surgery will be considered if the area of seizure focus (where the seizure activity starts) can be identified and is not responsible for any critical functions such as movement, sensation, or speech. Although getting more sleep and having a head massage are relaxation methodologies, they are not treatments for intractable seizures. Herbal remedies have the tendency to increase or decrease the effectiveness of antiseizure medication and are not recommended for clients with seizure disorder.
A client's mother asks the nurse if there is anything non-pharmacologic that her daughter can do to help with intractable seizures. Which response by the nurse is correct? "Eating a ketogenic diet can be helpful." "Taking in extra sugar on a regular basis could be helpful." "Taking megadoses of vitamins might be worth a try." "Eating a vegetarian diet has been proven to be successful."
"Eating a ketogenic diet can be helpful." Rationale: The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, controlled-protein diet that has been used since the 1920s for the treatment of epilepsy. The diet is a medical treatment and is usually only considered when at least two suitable medications have been tried and have not worked. Megadoses of vitamins and a vegetarian diet have not been studied or recommended in the treatment of epilepsy. When a child is on a ketogenic diet, it is important to limit glucose from all sources.
A 50-year-old client with a newly diagnosed seizure disorder is depressed because they are not allowed to drive and have lost their independence. Which question should the nurse ask to support the client? (Select all that apply.) "What does being able to drive mean to you?" "What kind of alternate transportation are you using?" "Do you have someone who can drive you to appointments?" "Who is supporting you during this transition?" "How is not being able to drive affecting you?"
"What does being able to drive mean to you?" "What kind of alternate transportation are you using?" "Who is supporting you during this transition?" "How is not being able to drive affecting you?"