Chapter 67: Management of Patients With Cerebrovascular Disorders

The nurse is caring for a client with aphasia. Which strategy will the nurse use to facilitate communication with the client?

Establishing eye contact

A client is experiencing dysphagia following a stroke. Which measure may be taken by the nurse to ensure that the client's diet allows for easy swallowing?

Help the client sit upright when eating and feed slowly.

A client diagnosed with migraine headaches asks the nurse what he can do to help control the headaches and minimize the number of attacks he is having. What instructions should the nurse give this client?

Identify and avoid factors that precipitate or intensify an attack.

The statements presented here match nursing interventions with nursing diagnoses. Which statements are true for a client with a stroke? Select all that apply.

Impaired swallowing: Provide a pureed diet. Disturbed sensory perception: Stand on the client's unaffected side. Impaired verbal communication: Repeat words and instructions.

A nurse practitioner provides health teaching to a patient who has difficulty managing hypertension. This patient is at an increased risk of which type of stroke?

Intracerebral hemorrhage

What clinical manifestations does the nurse recognize when a patient has had a right hemispheric stroke?

Left visual field deficit

A client is admitted with weakness, expressive aphasia, and right hemianopia. The brain MRI reveals an infarct. The nurse understands these symptoms to be suggestive of which of the following findings?

Left-sided cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Which of the following is accurate regarding a hemorrhagic stroke?

Main presenting symptom is an "exploding headache."

Which of the following is the initial diagnostic in suspected stroke?

Noncontrast computed tomography (CT)

A patient diagnosed with an ischemic stroke should be treated within the first 3 hours of symptom onset with which of the following?

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)

If warfarin is contraindicated as a treatment for stroke, which medication is the best option?

aspirin

Which of the following is the most common side effect of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)?

bleeding

When should the nurse plan the rehabilitation of a patient who is having an ischemic stroke?

the day the patient has the stroke

Thrombolytic therapy should be initiated within what time frame of an ischemic stroke to achieve the best functional outcome?

3 hours

A 154-pound woman has been prescribed tPA (0.9 mg/kg) for an ischemic stroke. The nurse knows to give how many mg initially?

6.3 mg

A nurse is caring for a client who has returned to his room after a carotid endarterectomy. Which action should the nurse take first?

Ask the client if he has trouble breathing.

Which interventions would be recommended for a client with dysphagia? Select all that apply.

Assist the client with meals. Test the gag reflex before offering food or fluids. Allow ample time to eat.

Which of the following statements reflects nursing management of the patient with expressive aphasia?

Encourage the patient to repeat sounds of the alphabet.

A diagnostic test has determined that the appropriate diet for the client with a left cerebrovascular accident (CVA) should include honey thickened liquids. Which of the following is the priority nursing diagnosis for this client?

Impaired swallowing

A client is receiving an IV infusion of mannitol (Osmitrol) after undergoing intracranial surgery to remove a brain tumor. To determine whether this drug is producing its therapeutic effect, the nurse should consider which finding most significant?

Increased urine output

A client has experienced an ischemic stroke that has damaged the frontal lobe of his brain. Which of the following deficits does the nurse expect to observe during assessment?

Limited attention span and forgetfulness

A patient is brought to the emergency department with a possible stroke. What initial diagnostic test for a stroke, usually performed in the emergency department, would the nurse prepare the patient for?

Noncontrast computed tomogram

A nurse is planning care for a client who experienced a stroke in the right hemisphere of his brain. What should the nurse do?

Provide close supervision because of the client's impulsiveness and poor judgment.

A stroke victim is experiencing memory loss and impaired learning capacity. The nurse knows that brain damage has most likely occurred in which lobe?

frontal

A patient is exhibiting classic signs of a hemorrhagic stroke. What complaint from the patient would be an indicator of this type of stroke?

severe headache

The nurse is participating in a health fair for stroke prevention. Which will the nurse say is a modifiable risk factor for ischemic stroke?

smoking

A client recently experienced a stroke with accompanying left-sided paralysis. His family voices concerns about how to best interact with him. They report the client doesn't seem aware of their presence when they approach him on his left side. What advice should the nurse give the family?

"The client is unaware of his left side. You should approach him on the right side."

Which term refers to the failure to recognize familiar objects perceived by the senses?

Agnosia

Which of the following, if left untreated, can lead to an ischemic stroke?

Atrial fibrillation

A client has experienced an ischemic stroke that has damaged the temporal (lateral and superior portions) lobe. Which of the following deficits would the nurse expect during assessment of this client?

Auditory agnosia

While making your initial rounds after coming on shift, you find a client thrashing about in bed complaining of a severe headache. The client tells you the pain is behind his right eye which is red and tearing. What type of headache would you suspect this client of having?

Cluster

A client has been diagnosed as having global aphasia. The nurse recognizes that the client will be unable to perform which action?

Form words that are understandable or comprehend spoken words

A client undergoes cerebral angiography for evaluation after an intracranial computed tomography scan revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Afterward, the nurse checks frequently for signs and symptoms of complications associated with this procedure. Which findings indicate spasm or occlusion of a cerebral vessel by a clot?

Hemiplegia, seizures, and decreased level of consciousness (LOC)

A nurse is providing education to a community group about ischemic strokes. One group member asks if there are ways to reduce the risk for stroke. Which of the following is a risk factor that can be modified?

Hypertension

Which is a contraindication for the administration of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA)?

Intracranial hemorrhage

The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with a hemorrhagic stroke. The nurse recognizes that which intervention is most important?

Maintaining a patent airway

The nurse is caring for a client with dysphagia. Which intervention would be contraindicated while caring for this client?

Placing food on the affected side of the mouth

The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from a leaking aneurysm. The client is awaiting surgery. Which nursing interventions would be appropriate for the nurse to implement? Select all that apply.

Provide a dimly lit environment. Elevate the head of bed 30 degrees. Administer docusate per order.

The geriatric advanced practice nurse (APN) is doing client teaching with a client who has had a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and the client's family. One concern the APN addresses is a potential for falls related to the CVA and resulting muscle weakness. What would be most important for the APN to include in teaching related to this concern?

Remove throw rugs and electrical cords from home environment.

The nurse practitioner is able to correlate a patient's neurologic deficits with the location in the brain affected by ischemia or hemorrhage. For a patient with a left hemispheric stroke, the nurse would expect to see:

Right-sided paralysis.

A patient having an acute stroke with no other significant medical disorders has a blood glucose level of 420 mg/dL. What significance does the hyperglycemia have for this patient?

This is significant for poor neurologic outcomes.

Which of the following is the chief cause of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)?

Uncontrolled hypertension

The nurse is providing information about strokes to a community group. Which of the following would the nurse identify as the primary initial symptoms of an ischemic stroke?

Weakness on one side of the body and difficulty with speech

A client reports light-headedness, speech disturbance, and left-sided weakness that have lasted for several hours. In the examination, an abnormal sound is auscultated in an artery leading to the brain. What is the term for the auscultated discovery?

bruit

During assessment of cognitive impairment, post-stroke, the nurse documents that the patient was experiencing memory loss and impaired learning capacity. The nurse knows that brain damage has most likely occurred in which lobe?

frontal

The nurse practitioner advises a patient who is at high risk for a stroke to be vigilant in his medication regimen, to maintain a healthy weight, and to adopt a reasonable exercise program. This advice is based on research data that shows the most important risk factor for stroke is:

hypertension

A client admitted to the emergency department is being evaluated for the possibility of a stroke. Which assessment finding would lead the nurse to suspect that the client is experiencing a hemorrhagic stroke?

severe exploding headache

An emergency department nurse is awaiting the arrival of a client with signs of an ischemic stroke that began 1 hour ago, as reported by emergency medical personnel. The treatment window for thrombolytic therapy is which of the following?

three hours

When communicating with a client who has sensory (receptive) aphasia, the nurse should:

use short, simple sentences.

A client who complains of recurring headaches, accompanied by increased irritability, photophobia, and fatigue is asked to track the headache symptoms and occurrence on a calendar log. Which is the best nursing rationale for this action?

Migraines often coincide with menstrual cycle.

The nurse is caring for a patient having a hemorrhagic stroke. What position in the bed will the nurse maintain this patient?

Semi-fowlers

While providing information to a community group, the nurse tells them the primary initial symptoms of a hemorrhagic stroke are:

Severe headache and early change in level of consciousness

An emergency department nurse is interviewing a client with signs of an ischemic stroke that began 2 hours ago. The client reports that she had a cholecystectomy 6 weeks ago and is taking digoxin, coumadin, and labetelol. This client is not eligible for thrombolytic therapy for which of the following reasons?

she is taking coumadin

Which is a modifiable risk factor for transient ischemic attacks and ischemic strokes?

smoking

A nurse is working with a student nurse who is caring for a client with an acute bleeding cerebral aneurysm. Which action by the student nurse requires further intervention?

Keeping the client in one position to decrease bleeding

Which is indicative of a right hemisphere stroke?

Spatial-perceptual deficits

A nurse knows that, for a patient with an ischemic stroke, tPA is contraindicated if the blood pressure reading is:

190 mm Hg/120 mm Hg

A patient presents to the emergency room with complaints of having an "exploding headache" for the last 2 hours. The patient is immediately seen by a triage nurse who suspects the patient is experiencing a stroke. Which of the following is a possible cause based on the characteristic symptom?

Cerebral aneurysm

The provider diagnoses the patient as having had an ischemic stroke. The etiology of an ischemic stroke would include which of the following?

Cardiogenic emboli

Which insult or abnormality can cause an ischemic stroke?

Cocaine use

After the patient has received tPA, the nurse knows to check vital signs every 30 minutes for 6 hours. Which of the following readings would require calling the provider?

Diastolic pressure of 110 mm Hg

The nurse is caring for a client with a history of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and moderate carotid stenosis who has undergone a carotid endarterectomy. Which postoperative finding would cause the nurse the most concern?

Difficulty swallowing

After a stroke, a client is admitted to the facility. The client has left-sided weakness and an absent gag reflex. He's incontinent and has a tarry stool. His blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg, and his hemoglobin is 10 g. Which nursing intervention is a priority for this client?

Elevating the head of the bed to 30 degrees

Which is the most common motor dysfunction seen in clients diagnosed with stroke?

Hemiplegia

Which are contraindications for the administration of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA)? Select all that apply.

Intracranial hemorrhage Major abdominal surgery within 10 days

The nurse is caring for a client following an aneurysm coiling procedure. The nurse documents that the client is experiencing Korsakoff syndrome. Which set of symptoms characterizes Korsakoff syndrome?

Psychosis, disorientation, delirium, insomnia, and hallucinations

A client on your unit is scheduled to have intracranial surgery in the morning. Which nursing intervention helps to avoid intraoperative complications, reduce cerebral edema, and prevent postoperative vomiting?

Restrict fluids before surgery.

A nurse is reading a journal article about stroke and the underlying causes associated with this condition. The nurse demonstrates understanding of the information when identifying which subtype of stroke as being due to atrial fibrillation?

cardio embolic

A nurse in a rehabilitation facility is coordinating the discharge of a client who is tetraplegic. The client, who is married and has two children in high school, is being discharged to home and will require much assistance. Who would the discharge planner recognize as being the most important member of this client's care team?

spouse

A nurse is instructing the spouse of a client who suffered a stroke about the use of eating devices the client will be using. During the teaching, the spouse starts to cry and states, "One minute he is laughing, and the next he's crying; I just don't understand what's wrong with him." Which statement is the best response by the nurse?

"Emotional lability is common after a stroke, and it usually improves with time."

A patient is admitted via ambulance to the emergency room of a stroke center at 1:30 p.m. with symptoms that the patient said began at 1:00 p.m. Within 1 hour, an ischemic stroke had been confirmed and the doctor ordered tPA. The nurse knows to give this drug no later than what time?

4:00 pm

The nurse is preparing to administer tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) to a patient who weighs 132 lb. The order reads 0.9 mg/kg t-PA. The nurse understands that 10% of the calculated dose is administered as an IV bolus over 1 minute, and the remaining dose (90%) is administered IV over 1 hour via an infusion pump. How many milligrams IV bolus over 1 minute will the nurse initially administer?

5.4

A client with a history of atrial fibrillation has experienced a TIA. In an effort to reduce the risk of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), the nurse anticipates the priority medical treatment to include which of the following?

Anticoagulant therapy

A nurse is planning discharge for a client who experienced right-sided weakness caused by a stroke. During his hospitalization, the client has been receiving physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy daily. The family voices concern about rehabilitation after discharge. How should the nurse intervene?

Inform the case manager of the family's concern and provide information about the client's current clinical status so appropriate resources can be provided after discharge.

The nurse is caring for a client admitted with a stroke. Imaging studies indicate an embolus partially obstructing the right carotid artery. What type of stroke does the nurse know this client has?

Ischemic

A client has experienced an ischemic stroke that has damaged the lower motor neurons of the brain. Which of the following deficits would the nurse expect during assessment?

Lack of deep tendon reflexes

A nurse is teaching a community class that those experiencing symptoms of ischemic stroke need to enter the medical system early. The primary reason for this is which of the following?

Thrombolytic therapy has a time window of only 3 hours.

The nurse is providing diet-related advice to a male patient following a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The patient wants to minimize the volume of food and yet meet all nutritional elements. Which of the following suggestions should the nurse give to the patient about controlling the volume of food intake?

Provide thickened commercial beverages and fortified cooked cereals.

A client diagnosed with a stroke is ordered to receive warfarin. Later, the nurse learns that the warfarin is contraindicated and the order is canceled. The nurse knows that the best alternative medication to give is

aspirin

Which term refers to the inability to perform previously learned purposeful motor acts on a voluntary basis?

Apraxia