Neuro Prep U

The nurse knows that symptoms associated with a TIA, usually a precursor of a future stroke, usually subside in what period of time?

1 hour

A patient is in the acute phase of an ischemic stroke. How long does the nurse know that this phase may last?

1-3 days

Aneurysm rebleeding occurs most frequently during which time frame after the initial hemorrhage?

1st 12 hours

A nurse is teaching a community group about modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for ischemic strokes. Which of the following is a risk factor that cannot be modified?

Advanced age

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

Agnosia

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

Apraxia

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

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

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 with a neurological disorder has difficulty swallowing. The nurse should take special care with the client's diet because of a potential risk of imbalanced nutrition. 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

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's spouse relates how the client reported a severe headache and then was unable to talk or move their right arm and leg. After diagnostics are completed and the client is admitted to the hospital, when would basic rehabilitation begin?

Immediately

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

Increased urine output

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

Intracranial hemorrhage

A client is brought to the emergency department in a confused state, with slurred speech, characteristics of a headache, and right facial droop. The vital signs reveal a blood pressure of 170/88 mm Hg, pulse of 92 beats/minute, and respirations at 24 breaths/minute. On which bodily system does the nurse focus the nursing assessment?

Neurovascular system

Which is the initial diagnostic test for a stroke?

Noncontrast computed tomography

A male patient with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is prescribed medication to treat the disorder. The patient wants to know what other measures may help reduce CVA. Which of the following is an accurate suggestion for the patient?

Reduce hypertension and high blood cholesterol levels.

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.

The nurse has just received report on a client in the ED being transferred to the acute stroke unit with a diagnosis of a right hemispheric stroke. Which findings does the nurse understand is indicative of a right hemispheric stroke?

Spatial-perceptual deficits

What nursing intervention is appropriate for a client with receptive aphasia?

Speak slowly and clearly.

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

The day the patient has the stroke

During a class on stroke, a junior nursing student asks what the clinical manifestations of stroke are. What would be the instructor's best answer?

"Clinical manifestations of a stroke depend on the area of the cortex, the affected hemisphere, the degree of blockage, and the availability of collateral circulation."

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 client is prescribed sumatriptan for the treatment of migraine headache. Which client statement would indicate a need for additional teaching from the nurse?

"I use this to prevent migraines."

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 PM

A patient had a carotid endarterectomy yesterday and when the nurse arrived in the room to perform an assessment, the patient states, "All of a sudden, I am having trouble moving my right side." What concern should the nurse have about this complaint?

A thrombus formation at the site of the endarterectomy

How often should neurologic assessments and vital signs be taken initially for the patient receiving tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)?

Every 15 min

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

Form understandable words and comprehend spoken words

From which direction should a nurse approach a client who is blind in the right eye?

From the left side of the client

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

Which terms refers to blindness in the right or left half of the visual field in both eyes?

Homonymous hemianopsia

An emergency department nurse is interviewing a client who is presenting with signs of an ischemic stroke that began 2 hours ago. The client reports a history of a cholecystectomy 6 weeks ago and is taking digoxin, warfarin, and labetalol. What factor poses a threat to the client for thrombolytic therapy?

International normalized ratio greater than 2The nurse is caring for a client with aphasia. Which strategy will the nurse use to facilitate communication with the client?

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

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."

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

A client is hospitalized when presenting to the emergency department with right-sided weakness. Within 6 hours of being admitted, the neurologic deficits had resolved and the client was back to his presymptomatic state. The nurse caring for the client knows that the probable cause of the neurologic deficit was what?

TIA

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 lasting for several hours. The neurologist diagnosed a transient ischemic attack, which caused the client great concern. What would the nurse include during client education?

When symptoms cease, the client will return to presymptomatic state.

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

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 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

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 76-year-old male client is brought to the clinic by his daughter. The daughter states that her father has had two transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) in the past week. The physician orders carotid angiography, and the report reveals that the carotid artery has been narrowed by atherosclerotic plaques. What treatment option does the nurse expect the physician to offer this client to increase blood flow to the brain? Select all that apply.

Balloon angioplasty of the carotid artery followed by stent placement Carotid endarterectomy

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

A client undergoes cerebral angiography for evaluation of a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Which findings indicate spasm or occlusion of a cerebral vessel by a clot?

Hemiplegia, seizures, and decreased level of consciousness

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 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.

When developing a care plan for a client who has recently suffered a stroke, a nurse includes the nursing diagnosis Risk for imbalanced body temperature. What is the rationale for this diagnosis?

The stroke may have impacted the body's thermoregulation centers.

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.

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.

A physician has ordered home health and physical therapy for an older adult who will be discharged home following an acute stroke. The nurse's discharge teaching should include instructions about:

reporting specific signs and symptoms to the physician, discharge medications, and dietary concerns.