Exam 2 Patho/Pharm Questions
Which of the following clients' signs and symptoms would allow a clinician to be most justified in ruling out stroke as a cause? An adult A) has had a gradual onset of weakness, headache, and visual disturbances over the last 2 days. B) has experienced a sudden loss of balance and slurred speech. C) has vomited and complained of a severe headache. D) states that his left arm and leg are numb, and gait is consequently unsteady.
Ans: A Feedback: A cardinal trait of the manifestations of stroke is that the onset is sudden, and a gradual onset of symptoms over 2 days would suggest an alternative etiology. Ataxia, slurred speech, and unilateral numbness are associated with stroke, with sudden vomiting and headache being particularly indicative of a hemorrhagic CVA.
Following a collision while mountain biking, the diagnostic workup of a 22-year-old male has indicated the presence of an acute subdural hematoma. Which of the following pathophysiological processes most likely underlies his diagnosis? A) Blood has accumulated between the man's dura and subarachnoid space. B) Vessels have burst between the client's skull and his dura. C) A traumatic lesion in the frontal or temporal lobe has resulted in increased ICP. D) Blood has displaced CSF in the ventricles as a consequence of his coup- contrecoup injury.
Ans: A Feedback: A subdural hematoma develops in the area between the dura and the arachnoid space, while epidural hematomas exist between the skull and dura. Intracerebral hematomas are located most often in the frontal or temporal lobe, and the ventricles are not directly involved in a subdural hematoma.
Which of the following hospital patients is most likely to be diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome II (CRPS II)? A) A man who has been admitted for treatment of continuing hyperalgesia after sustaining a nerve injury in a motor vehicle accident B) A woman who requires analgesia more than 3 months after an episode of shingles C) A male client with diabetes mellitus who requires analgesia prior to each dressing change on his chronic foot wound D) A female who has seemingly unprovoked attacks of pain that are accompanied by facial tics and spasms
Ans: A Feedback: CRPS is marked by the presence of continuing pain, allodynia, or hyperalgesia after a nerve injury, not necessarily limited to the distribution of the injured nerve with evidence at some time of edema, changes in skin blood flow, or abnormal sensorimotor activity in the region of pain. Pain related to shingles is an example of postherpetic neuralgia, while a need for analgesia prior to dressing changes would not indicate CRPS. Sudden attacks of pain accompanied by facial tics and spasms may be indicative of trigeminal neuralgia.
A 20-year-old has been diagnosed with an astrocytic brain tumor located in the brain stem. Which of the following statements by the oncologist treating the client is most accurate? A) "Your prognosis will depend on whether we can surgically resect your tumor." B) "Our treatment plan will depend on whether your tumor is malignant or benign." C) "This is likely a result of a combination of heredity and lifestyle." D) "The major risk that you face is metastases to your lungs, liver, or bones."
Ans: A Feedback: The prognosis of people with pilocytic astrocytomas is influenced primarily by their location. The prognosis is usually better for people with surgically resectable tumors, such as those located in the cerebellar cortex, than for people with less accessible tumors, such as those involving the hypothalamus or brain stem. Because of infiltration of brain tissue that prevents total resection, surgery rarely cures brain tumors. The binary of malignant and benign is not used to characterize brain tumors, and the etiology and substantive risk factors are largely unknown. Brain tumors rarely metastasize outside the CNS.
A student is feeling inside her backpack to find her mobile phone. There are a number of other items in the bag other than the phone. The nurse knows that which of the following terms best describes one's ability to sense of shape and size of an object in the absence of visualization? A) Stereognosis B) Astereognosis C) Modalities D) Somesthesia
Ans: A Feedback: The sense of shape and size of an object in the absence of visualization is known as stereognosis. Astereognosis is a deficit whereby a person can correctly describe the object but does not recognize it. "Modalities" is a term used for qualitative, subjective distinctions between sensations such as touch, heat, and pain. Somesthesia describes most of the perceptive aspects of body sensation and requires the function of the parietal association cortex.
Which of the following diagnostic findings is likely to result in the most serious brain insult? A) Mean arterial pressure (MAP) that equals intracranial pressure (ICP) B) Moderate decrease in brain tissue volume secondary to a brain tumor removal C) Increased ICP accompanied by hyperventilation D) High intracellular concentration of glutamate
Ans: A Feedback: When the pressure in the cranial cavity approaches or exceeds the MAP, tissue perfusion becomes inadequate; cellular hypoxia results; and neuronal death may occur. Displacement of CSF and blood can partially compensate for decreased brain tissue volume. Hyperventilation partially mitigates, rather than exacerbates, increase in ICP. Glutamate is normally in far higher concentrations intracellularly than extracellularly.
A client in an acute medicine unit of a hospital with a diagnosis of small bowel obstruction is complaining of intense, diffuse pain in her abdomen. Which of the following physiological phenomena is most likely contributing to her complaint? A) Nociceptive afferents are conducting the sensation of pain along the cranial and spinal nerve pathways of the ANS. B) First-order neurons are inappropriately signaling pain to the dorsal root ganglion. C) The client is experiencing neuropathic pain. D) The client's C fibers are conducting pain in the absence of damaged Aδ fibers.
Ans: A Feedback: Visceral pain, as characterized by the client's description of her pain, is conducted by way of nociceptive afferents that use the cranial and spinal nerve pathways of the ANS. The problem is not likely rooted in the inappropriate firing of first-order neurons or the substitution of conduction by C fibers. Pain that is attributable to a pathological process apart from the neural pain network is not normally considered to be neuropathic.
A brain tumor causing clinical manifestations of headache, nausea, projectile vomiting, and mental changes is likely located in which parts of the brain? Select all that apply. A) Intra-axially B) Extra-axially C) Brain stem D) Temporal lobe E) Frontal lobe
Ans: A, B, E Feedback: Tumors within the intracranial (intra-axially) cavity are fixed and cause s/s of increased ICP like headache, nausea, vomiting, mental changes, papilledema, visual disturbances, and alterations in sensory and motor function. Outside the brain tissue (extra-axially), but within the cranium, tumors may reach large sizes without producing s/s. After they reach a sufficient size, s/s of increased ICP appear. Temporal lobe tumors often produce seizures as their first symptom. Brain stem tumors commonly produce upper/lower motor neuron s/s such as weakness of facial muscles and ocular palsies. Frontal lobe tumors also grow to a large size and cause s/s of increased ICP.
A 20-year-old has been admitted to a rehabilitation center after hospital treatment for an ischemic stroke. Which of the following aspects of the client's history would be considered to have contributed to his stroke? Select all that apply. The client A) is an African American male. B) takes iron supplements for the treatment of chronic anemia. C) blood pressure has historically been in the range of 150s/90s. D) was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 8 years ago. E) takes corticosteroids for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Ans: A, C, D Feedback: African American race, male gender, hypertension, and diabetes are all well documented risk factors for stroke. Anemia, autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, and the use of corticosteroids are not noted to predispose to stroke.
Match the pain theory to the correct physiologic basis for the pain. A. Specificity theory 1. Light touch applied to the skin would produce the sensation of touch through low-frequency firing of the receptor. B. Pattern theory 2. Repeated sweeping of a soft-bristled brush on the skin over or near a painful area may result in pain reduction for several minutes. C. Gate control theory 3. Proposes that the brain contains a widely distributed neural network that contains somatosensory, limbic, and thalamocortical components. D. Neuromatrix 4. Describes how an acute injury is predicted to be but does not take into theory account the person's feelings of how the pain feels to him or her. .
Ans: A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3 Feedback: Specificity theory—describes how an acute injury is predicted to be but does not take into account the person's feelings of how the pain feels to him or her; pattern theory— light touch applied to the skin would produce the sensation of touch through low frequency firing of the receptor; gate control theory—repeated sweeping of a soft bristled brush on the skin over or near a painful area may result in pain reduction for several minutes; neuro matrix theory—proposes that the brain contains a widely distributed neural network that contains somatosensory, limbic, and thalamocortical components
Which of the following would be an example of a child born with congenital insensitivity to pain? A child who A) develops pins-and-needles sensation after jumping out of a tree. B) fell off a skate board and fractured ankle but did not feel any pain and just noted swelling in foot. C) skinned knee from a bike accident but only told parents when it started burning. D) cries every time the wind blows because it hurts his face and ears.
Ans: B Feedback: Analgesia is the absence of pain on noxious stimulation or the relief of pain without loss of consciousness. Congenital insensitivity is when the peripheral nerve defect apparently exists such that the transmission of painful nerve impulses does not result in perception of pain. Pens-and-needles sensation is called paresthesia. Burning sensations are usually associated with temperature (hyperthermia). Pain associated with wind (or any nonnoxious stimuli) is called allodynia.
Following a motor vehicle accident 3 months prior, a 20-year-old female who has been in a coma since her accident has now had her condition declared a persistent vegetative state. How can her care providers most accurately explain an aspect of her situation to her parents? A) "Your daughter has lost all her cognitive functions as well as all her basic reflexes." B) "Though she still goes through a cycle of sleeping and waking, her condition is unlikely to change." C) "If you or the care team notices any spontaneous eye opening, then we will change our treatment plan." D) "Your daughter's condition is an unfortunate combination with total loss of consciousness but continuation of all other normal brain functions."
Ans: B Feedback: A continuation of the sleep-wake cycle can exist in a persistent vegetative state. Reflexes often remain, as does spontaneous eye opening. Aspects of brain function beyond those governing consciousness are affected.
A 26-year-old female is resting after a one-minute episode during which she lost consciousness while her muscles contracted and extremities extended. This was followed by rhythmic contraction and relaxation of her extremities. On regaining consciousness, she found herself to have been incontinent of urine. What has the woman most likely experienced? A) A myoclonic seizure B) A tonic-clonic seizure C) An absence seizure D) A complex partial seizure
Ans: B Feedback: A tonic-clonic seizure often begins with tonic contraction of the muscles with extension of the extremities and immediate loss of consciousness. Incontinence of the bladder and bowel is common. Cyanosis may occur from contraction of airway and respiratory muscles. The tonic phase is followed by the clonic phase, which involves rhythmic bilateral contraction and relaxation of the extremities. A myoclonic seizure involves bilateral jerking of muscles, generalized or confined to the face, trunk, or one or more extremities. Absence seizures are nonconvulsive, and complex partial seizures are accompanied by automatism
Following a knee injury, a football player is taking ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug, for the control of pain. Which of the following drug actions is most likely to result in diminished sensation of pain for the player? A) The drug inhibits communication by third-order neurons between the thalamus and cerebral cortex. B) The drug inhibits the enzyme needed for prostaglandin synthesis. C) The drug changes the post excitatory potential in C fibers, leading to pain sensitization. D) The drug slows the conduction velocity of myelinated Aδ fibers in the pain pathway.
Ans: B Feedback: Analgesia can be achieved by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, as in the case of many NSAIDs. These drugs do not affect the function of third-order neurons, the action potential of C fibers, or the conduction velocity of Aδ fibers.
A 7-year-old child had an emergency appendectomy during the night. When trying to assess his pain, the nurse should A) ask him to rate his pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 = no pain and 10 = worse pain ever. B) show him a scale with faces of actual children and have him point to the picture that best describes how he is feeling. C) consider his pulse and BP readings to be the most specific indicators of the amount of pain he is experiencing. D) try to distract him by blowing bubbles to minimize the use of opioids so that he does not become addicted to the narcotic
Ans: B Feedback: Children do feel pain and have been shown to reliably and accurately report pain. With children 3 to 8 years of age, scales with faces of actual children or cartoon faces can be used to obtain a report of pain. Physiologic measures, such as heart rate, are convenient to measure, but they are nonspecific. They may be a sign of anxiety and not pain. Distraction methods are good, but medications should be used on an individual basis to match the analgesic agent with the level of pain.
A mother is placing her child into the bathtub. The child immediately jumps out of the tub and begins to cry, stating his feet are "burning." The nurse in the emergency department knows that the child's response is based on which of the following pathophysiological principles listed below? A) Children react much quicker to contact with hot water than adults. B) The tactile sensation occurs well in advance of the burning sensation. The local withdrawal reflex reacts first. C) It takes a long time for thermal signals to be processed before the brain can send a signal through the spinal cord and tell the foot to withdraw. D) The thermal processing center is located on the rapid conducting anterolateral system on the same side of the brain as the injury.
Ans: B Feedback: If a person places a foot in a tub of hot water, the tactile sensation occurs well in advance of the burning sensation. The foot has been removed from the hot water by the local withdrawal reflex well before the excessive heat is perceived by the forebrain. All other responses are incorrect.
A patient with diabetes mellitus has just undergone a right, below-the-knee amputation following gangrene infection. A few days post-op, the patient confides in the nurse that he still feels his right foot. Knowing the pathophysiologic principles behind this, the nurse can A) administer a psychotropic medication to help the patient cope with the loss of his leg. B) explain that many amputees have this sensation and that one theory surmises that the end of a regenerating nerve becomes trapped in the scar tissue of the amputation site. C) call the physician and ask him for an order for a psychological consult. D) educate the patient that this area has an usually abnormal increase in sensitivity to sensation but that it will go away with time.
Ans: B Feedback: Multiple theories exist related to the causes of phantom limb pain. One rationale is that the end of the regenerating nerve becomes trapped in the scar tissue that forms a barrier to regenerating outgrowth of the axon. The usual treatment includes the use of sympathetic blocks; TENS of the large myelinated afferents innervating the area; hypnosis; and relaxation training.
A nurse on a neurology unit is assessing a female brain-injured client. The client is unresponsive to speech, and her pupils are dilated and do not react to light. She is breathing regularly, but her respiratory rate is 45 breaths/minute. In response to a noxious stimulus, her arms and legs extend rigidly. What is her level of impairment? A) Delirium B) Coma C) Brain death D) Vegetative state
Ans: B Feedback: The continuum of loss of consciousness is marked by the degree of client's responsiveness to stimuli, in addition to the preservation of brain stem reflexes. Since this client still exhibits a pain response (the extended arms and legs indicate decerebrate posturing), even though her pupils are not responsive to light, she has sustained sufficient brain function that she fails to qualify as being brain dead or in a vegetative state.
A 9-year-old boy has been brought to the emergency department by his father who is concerned by his son's recent fever, stiff neck, pain, and nausea. Examination reveals a petechial rash. Which of the following assessment questions by the emergency room physician is most appropriate? A) "Is your son currently taking any medications?" B) "Has your son had any sinus or ear infections in the last little while?" C) "Does your son have a history of cancer?" D) "Was your son born with any problems that affect his bone marrow or blood?"
Ans: B Feedback: The most common symptoms of acute bacterial meningitis are fever and chills; headache; stiff neck; back, abdominal, and extremity pains; and nausea and vomiting. Risk factors associated with contracting meningitis include otitis media and sinusitis or mastoiditis. Particular medications, a history of neoplasm, and hematopoietic problems would be unlikely to relate directly to his symptoms of meningitis.
If the patient's dorsal columns are not functioning, the nurse will observe which of the following responses during neurotesting, where the nurse asks the patient to close his eyes and then proceeds to touch corresponding parts of the body on each side simultaneously with two sharp points? A) Grimacing when body touched with sharp points B) No response to two-point discrimination C) Heightened proprioceptive response D) Inability to identify which way his finger was moved during the test
Ans: B Feedback: When comparing the discriminative dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway with anterolateral tactile pathways with testing (with eyes closed), gently brush the skin with cotton, touch an area with one or two sharp points, touch corresponding parts of the body on each side simultaneously or in random sequence, and passively bend the person's finger one way and then another. If dorsal columns are not functioning, the tactile threshold two-point discrimination and proprioception are missing, and the person has difficulty discriminating which side of the body received stimulation.
Staff at the care facility note that a woman has started complaining of back pain in recent weeks and occasionally groans in pain. She has many comorbids that require several prescription medications. The nurse knows that which of the following factors is likely to complicate the clinician's assessment and treatment of the client's pain? A) Neural pain pathways in the elderly differ from those in younger adults and are less responsive to treatment. B) Assessment and treatment are possibly complicated by the large number of drugs that the client receives. C) Accurate pain assessment is not possible in clients with significant cognitive deficits. D) Frequent complaints of pain in older adults with dementia normally indicate hyperalgesia rather than an underlying physical problem.
Ans: B Feedback: Polypharmacy complicates both assessment and treatment of pain in the older adult. While minor changes in pain pathways do occur as an age-related change, these do not mean that treatment is unsuccessful. Pain assessment is more difficult in clients with cognitive deficits, but it is not impossible. Reports of pain in the elderly, as with any client, may signal an underlying health problem.
Following an injury where a child hit his head from a fall, the CT scan reveals a contusion that the doctor classifies as a moderate brain injury. Which of the following manifestations will the nurse more than likely assess on this child that support this diagnosis? Select all that apply. A) Coma with total paralysis B) Periods of unconsciousness C) Aphasia at times D) Nuchal rigidity E) Weakness or slight paralysis affecting one side of the body .
Ans: B, C, E Feedback: Moderate brain injury is characterized by a period of unconsciousness and may be associated with focal manifestations such as hemiparesis (weakness or slight paralysis affecting one side of the body), aphasia, and cranial nerve palsy. Coma with total paralysis is seen in severe brain injury. Nuchal rigidity is a classic sign of meningitis
A 25-year-old woman who works as an air-traffic controller presents with facial pain and severe headache. She reports that she sometimes feels the pain in her neck or ear and that it is particularly bad during very busy times at the airport. What is the most likely diagnosis? A) Migraine headache B) Cluster headache C) Temporomandibular joint syndrome D) Sinus headache
Ans: C Feedback: Temporomandibular joint syndrome causes pain that originates in the temporomandibular joint and is usually referred to the face, neck, or ear. Headache is also common. It is aggravated by jaw function and can be particularly severe in people under stress, especially if they grind their teeth.
A nurse practitioner is assessing a 7-year-old boy who has been brought to the clinic by his mother, who is concerned about her son's increasingly frequent, severe headaches. Which of the nurse's following questions is least likely to yield data that will allow for a confirmation or ruling out of migraines as the cause of his problem? A) "Does your son have a family history of migraines?" B) "When your son has a headache, does he ever have nausea and vomiting as well?" C) "Does your son have any food allergies that have been identified?" D) "Is your son generally pain free during the intervals between headaches?"
Ans: C Feedback: While food may trigger migraines in some individuals, food allergies are not an identified contributor to migraines, and their presence or absence would be unlikely to provide a differential diagnosis of migraine. Migraines have a strong genetic component and, in children, nausea and vomiting during a headache are suggestive of migraine. Individuals who are prone to migraines are pain free in the times between episodes.
A baseball player was hit in the head with a bat during practice. In the emergency department, the physician tells the family that he has a "coup" injury. How will the nurse explain this to the family so they can understand? A) "It's like squeezing an orange so tight that the juice runs out of the top." B) "Your son has a huge laceration inside his brain where the bat hit his skull." C) "Your son has a contusion of the brain at the site where the bat hit his head." D) "When the bat hit his head, his neck jerked backward causing injury to the spine."
Ans: C Feedback: A direct contusion of the brain at the site of external force is referred to as a coup injury. Contrecoup injury (answer choice D) is the rebound injury on the opposite side of the brain. Answer choice B relates to lacerations that are usually not caused by a direct blow to the head. However, depending on how hard the head was hit with a bat, a hematoma could form as the brain strikes the rough surface of the cranial vault.
A nurse on a postsurgical unit is providing care for a 76-year-old female client who is 2 days posthemiarthroplasty (hip replacement) and who states that her pain has been out of control for the last several hours, though she is not exhibiting signs of pain. Which of the following guidelines should the nurse use for short-term and long term treatment of the client's pain? A) Reconciling the client's need for opioid analgesics with the risk of addiction to these drugs B) Recognizing the client's pain is not likely self-limiting C) Knowing that the client's self-report of pain is the most reliable indicator of pain D) Realizing that chronic pain is likely to require innovative and complex treatment
Ans: C Feedback: Clinically, the patient's self-report of pain is the most reliable indicator of pain. The risk of addiction to opioids is extremely low, and since the client's pain is acute rather than chronic, it is likely self-limiting.
A teenager, exposed to West Nile virus a few weeks ago while camping with friends, is admitted with headache, fever, and nuchal rigidity. The teenager is also displaying some lethargy and disorientation. The nurse knows which of the following medical diagnoses listed below may be associated with these clinical manifestations? A) Rocky Mountain spotted fever B) Lyme disease C) Encephalitis D) Spinal infection
Ans: C Feedback: Encephalitis represents a generalized infection of the parenchyma of the brain or spinal cord. A virus, such as West Nile virus, usually causes encephalitis although it may be caused by bacteria, fungi, and other organisms. Encephalitis is characterized by fever, headache, and nuchal rigidity. However, more often, people also experience neurologic disturbances, such as lethargy, disorientation, seizures, focal paralysis, delirium, and coma. Rocky Mountain spotted fever (answer choice A) is a tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii and usually begins with a sudden onset of fever and headache. A rash may occur 2 to 5 days after fever onset. Lyme disease (answer choice B) is also a tick-borne disease. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. As the disease progresses, the patient develops bouts of severe joint pain and swelling of the joint. Neurological problems may occur for weeks, months, or even years after the infection and may include inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain (meningitis). Spinal infections (answer choice D) can be thought of as a spectrum of diseases comprising spondylitis, discitis, spondylodiscitis, pyogenic facet arthropathy, and meningitis.
Which of the following individuals would most likely experience global ischemia to his or her brain? A) A male client who has just had an ischemic stroke confirmed by CT of his head B) A woman who has been admitted to the emergency department with a suspected intracranial bleed C) A man who has entered cardiogenic shock following a severe myocardial infarction D) A woman who is being brought to hospital by ambulance following suspected carbon monoxide poisoning related to a faulty portable heater
Ans: C Feedback: Global ischemia is associated with a cessation of blood flow to the entire brain, as often occurs during cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction. Ischemic stroke and intracranial bleeding are likely to cause focal ischemia; carbon monoxide toxicity is associated with hypoxia.
A college student has been experiencing frequent headaches that he describes as throbbing and complaining of difficulty concentrating while studying. Upon cerebral angiography, he is found to have an arteriovenous malformation. Which of the following pathophysiological concepts is likely responsible for his symptoms? A) Increased tissue perfusion at the site of the malformation B) Hydrocephalus and protein in the cerebral spinal fluid C) High pressure and local hemorrhage of the venous system D) Localized ischemia with areas of necrosis noted on CT angiography
Ans: C Feedback: In arteriovenous malformations, a tangle of arteries and veins acts as a bypass between the cerebral arterial and venous circulation, in place of the normal capillary bed. However, the capillaries are necessary to attenuate the high arterial blood pressure before this volume drains to the venous system. As a result, the venous channels experience high pressure, making them to hemorrhage and rupture more likely; the lack of perfusion of surrounding tissue causes neurologic deficits such as learning disorders. Headaches are severe, and people with the disorder may describe them as throbbing (synchronous with their heartbeat). Increased tissue perfusion means that more oxygenated blood is brought to the area, which is not the case. The elevated arterial and venous pressures divert blood away from the surrounding tissue, impairing tissue perfusion. Answer choice B is incorrect since arteriovenous malformation is associated with blood vessels and not the fluid within the ventricles of the brain. Answer choice D is incorrect in that there is blood flow to the area. Ischemia is associated with decreased arterial flow resulting in death to brain tissue.
A woman with severe visual and auditory deficits is able to identify individuals by running her fingers lightly over their face. Which of the following sources is most likely to provide the input that allows for the woman's unique ability? A) Pacinian corpuscles B) Ruffini end organs C) Meissner corpuscles D) Free nerve endings
Ans: C Feedback: Meissner corpuscles, which are present on the hair-free areas like palms and fingers, are responsible for fine tactile sensation. Pacinian corpuscles provide input on vibration, while Ruffini end organs exist in deeper structures that signal continuous states of deformation. Free nerve endings also detect touch and pressure, but not to the highly differentiated degree of Meissner corpuscles.
Which of the following clients may be experiencing a sensory focal seizure that has sent an abnormal cortical discharge to the autonomic nervous system (ANS)? A) A 44-year old patient complaining of constant movement and pain in the legs that gets worse when he tries to sleep B) An 85-year-old patient experiencing drooping of the right side of the face and numbness in the right arm and leg C) A 56-year-old complaining of tingling sensations and has both an elevated pulse and BP D) A 22-year-old complaining of a stiff neck and achiness, along with some nausea and vomiting
Ans: C Feedback: Sensory symptoms correlate with the location of seizure activity on the contralateral side of the brain and may involve somatic sensory disturbance (tingling). With abnormal cortical discharge stimulating ANS, tachycardia, diaphoresis, hypo- or hypertension, or papillary changes may be evident. Distracter A is associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Distracter B is associated with stroke (CVA). Distracter D is associated with meningitis.
A 30-year-old female has suffered a third-degree burn to her hand after spilling hot oil on it in a kitchen accident. Which of the following teaching points by a member of her care team is most appropriate? A) "Tell us as soon as you sense the beginnings of a round of pain, and we will start with analgesics." B) "Opioids like morphine often cause constipation, but if this happens to you, we will discontinue opioids and change to another family of medications." C) "Opioids aren't without side effects, but we will take action to manage these side effects, so you can continue getting these drugs." D) "It's imperative that we prevent you from developing a tolerance for opioids while you're getting treatment for your burn."
Ans: C Feedback: While opioids carry side effects such as constipation, these can be managed in order to continue treatment; constipation would not preclude the continued use of opioids, but would require management. Pain medications should precede the onset of pain, and tolerance is not grounds for discontinuing treatment.
A nurse at a long-term care facility provides care for an 85-year-old man who has had recent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Which of the following statements best identifies future complications associated with TIAs? TIAs A) are an accumulation of small deficits that may eventually equal the effects of a full CVA. B) are a relatively benign sign that necessitates monitoring but not treatment. C) resolve rapidly but may place the client at an increased risk for stroke. D) are caused by small bleeds that can be a warning sign of an impending stroke.
Ans: C Feedback: TIAs can be considered a warning sign for future strokes. They are not hemorrhagic in nature, and their effects are not normally cumulative. They may require treatment medically or surgically.
While batting, a baseball player is struck in the ribs by a pitch. Place the following components of the player's pain pathway in the chronological order as they contribute to the player's sensation of pain. Use all the options. A) Thalamus B) Dorsal root ganglion body C) Dorsal root ganglion periphery D) Axon E) Cerebral cortex
Ans: C, B, D, A, E Feedback: All somatosensory information from the limbs and trunk shares a common class of sensory neurons called dorsal root ganglion neurons. Somatosensory information from the face and cranial structures is transmitted by the trigeminal sensory neurons, which function in the same manner as the dorsal root ganglion neurons. The cell body of the dorsal root ganglion neuron, its peripheral branch (which innervates a small area of periphery), and its central axon (which projects to the CNS) communicate with the thalamus, which in turn communicates with the cerebral cortex using third-order neurons.
Following a car accident of a male teenager who did not have his seatbelt on, he arrived in the emergency department with a traumatic brain injury. He has severe cerebral edema following emergent craniotomy. Throughout the night, the nurse has been monitoring and reporting changes in his assessment. Which of the following assessments correspond to a supratentorial herniation that has progressed to include midbrain involvement? Select all that apply. A) Clouding of consciousness B) Decorticate posturing with painful stimulation C) Pupils fixed at approximately 5 mm in diameter D) Respiration rate of 40 breaths/minute E) Decerebrate posturing following painful stimulation of the sternum
Ans: C, D, E Feedback: With midbrain involvement, pupils are fixed and midsized (5 mm in diameter), and reflex adduction of the eyes is impaired; pain elicits decerebrate posturing; and respirations change from Cheyne-Stokes respiration to neurogenic hyperventilation. Cloudiness of consciousness occurs in early diencephalic stages. Decorticate posturing with pain occurs in the diencephalic stage.diencephalic stages. Decorticate posturing with pain occurs in the diencephalic stage.
A female client with bone metastases secondary to lung cancer is admitted for palliative radiation treatment and pain control. The client is presently experiencing pain that she rates at 9 out of 10. Which of the following nonpharmacological treatments is most likely to be a useful and appropriate supplement to pharmacological analgesia at this point? A) Teaching the client guided imagery and meditation B) Initiating neurostimulation C) Heat therapy D) Relaxation and distraction
Ans: D Feedback: Given the client's high pain rating, initiating teaching around imagery and meditation is unlikely to be effective or appropriate. Neurostimulation requires implantation and/or placement of internal components, while heat is more likely to address superficial pain or pain caused by muscle tension. Relaxation and distraction would be plausible treatment options for this client.
A 58-year-old woman comes to the clinic for evaluation of a sharp, intermittent, severe, stabbing facial pain that she describes as, "like an electric shock." The pain occurs only on one side of her face; it seems to be triggered when she chews, brushes her teeth, or sometimes when she merely touches her face. There is no numbness associated with the pain. What is most likely causing her pain? A) Postherpetic neuralgia B) Migraine headache C) Complex regional pain syndrome D) Trigeminal neuralgia
Ans: D Feedback: Her symptoms are characteristic of trigeminal neuralgia, caused by damage to the fifth cranial nerve, which carries impulses of touch, pain, pressure, and temperature to the brain from the face and jaw.
The nurse knows that which of the following treatment plans listed below is most likely to be prescribed after a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head reveals a new-onset aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage? A) Stat administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) B) Administration of a diuretic such as mannitol to reduce cerebral edema and ICP C) Monitoring in the ICU for signs and symptoms of cerebral insult D) Craniotomy and clipping of the affected vessel
Ans: D Feedback: Surgery for treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage involves craniotomy and inserting a specially designed silver clip that is tightened around the neck of the aneurysm. Administration of tPA would exacerbate bleeding, and a diuretic would not address the issue of bleeding. Monitoring alone would be an insufficient response given the severity of the problem.
A patient in the intensive care unit who has a brain tumor has experienced a sharp decline. The care team suspects that water and protein have crossed the blood-brain barrier and been transferred from the vascular space into the client's interstitial space. Which of the following diagnoses best captures this pathophysiology? A) Focal hypoxia B) Cytotoxic edema C) Hydrocephalus D) Vasogenic edema
Ans: D Feedback: Vasogenic edema occurs with conditions that impair the function of the blood-brain barrier and allow transfer of water and protein from the vascular into the interstitial space. It occurs in conditions such as tumors, prolonged ischemia, hemorrhage, brain injury, and infectious processes. Focal hypoxia is associated with localized delivery of blood with inadequate oxygen, and cytotoxic edema is an absolute increase in intracellular fluid. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal increase in CSF volume in any part or all of the ventricular system.
A 60-year-old male client with a long history of back pain has had little success with a variety of analgesic regimens that his family physician has prescribed. He has recently been diagnosed with a chronic pain disorder. Which of the following teaching points about chronic pain would his physician most likely emphasize to the client? A) "If your pain comes and goes, then we won't characterize it as chronic, and it will require different treatment." B) "You need to remind yourself that this is a purely physical phenomenon that requires physical treatment." C) "Our challenge is to bring you relief but still treat the underlying back problem that your body is telling you about." D) "These pain signals your body is sending likely serve no real, useful, or protective function."
Ans: D Feedback: A hallmark of chronic pain is that it usually does not serve any useful function, and that it is often remote from, or even irrelevant to, the originating cause. Like all pains, chronic pain is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that supersedes purely physical considerations. Chronic pain need not be continuous and unchanging to be characterized as chronic.
