Pharmacology Ch. 19 Introduction to Nerves and the Nervous System

The nurse is caring for a client with a malignant brain tumor. The client asks the nurse why the tumor is being treated with radiation instead of chemotherapy. The nurse's explanation involves what important information?

"Medications have difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier."

Which client is most directly exhibiting the function of afferent nerves?

A client who has winced with pain during an intramuscular injection

What client has suffered an injury to the forebrain?

A client whose cerebrum has an infarct from a stroke

A nurse is reviewing the structure and function of the blood--brain barrier . This anatomical feature would have the greatest effect on what aspect of nursing care?

Administering antibiotics to treat brain infections

Which would a nurse identify as a component of the hindbrain? Thalamus Cerebrum Limbic system Brain stem

Brain stem

What part of the brain controls and coordinates muscle movement? Brain stem Cerebrum Cerebellum Midbrain

Cerebellum

An elderly client arrives at a health care facility with reports of loss of sensation. The nurse understands that a change in which part of the brain is responsible for changes in the client's ability to perceive sensation?

Cerebral cortex

What best describes the blood-brain barrier?

Defensive mechanism

A stroke has caused an infarct in a client's cerebral cortex. What deficit should the nurse anticipate?

Diminished processing of intellectual information

A client's left adrenal medulla has been injured in a motor vehicle accident. What is a possible implication of this injury?

Disruptions in the levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine

A client has a diagnosis of Parkinson disease, a health problem that has effects on motor function and cognition. What neurotransmitter is most likely deficient in this client's CNS?

Dopamine

Which substance is required for brain cell metabolism?

Glucose

The nurse is planning the care of a client who has been diagnosed with a cerebellar disorder. What should the nurse prioritize in this client's plan of care? Reorient the client as needed. Monitor the client for seizure activity. Assess mood and affect once per shift. Implement falls precautions.

Implement falls precautions.

A 10-year-old child has been playing soccer and sustains a closed head injury in a collision with another player. The parent states that the child was unconscious for 5 minutes. Upon admission to the emergency department, the child has difficulty breathing. What area of the brain will have developed cerebral edema?

Medulla oblongata

A nurse is reviewing the structure and function of the nervous system in preparation for working on a neurological floor. What characteristic of neurons should the nurse identify?

Neurons convey action potentials to other neurons without being in physical contact.

A client is brought to the emergency room following a motor vehicle accident in which the client sustained head trauma. The client reports blindness in the left eye. The nurse would be correct in documenting this abnormal finding as corresponding to which cerebral lobe?

Occipital

A client has had an injury to the cerebellum. The nurse is collecting data from the client and family to document in preparing an individualized nursing care plan. Which is the best description of the function of the cerebellum that has to be considered when collecting data from the client?

Responsible for muscle control

A client is diagnosed with a sleep disorder. Which neurotransmitter is most likely to be dysfunctional for this client?

Serotonin

A client is experiencing major depressive disorder. Which neurotransmitter is most likely implicated?

Serotonin

A signal has reached the terminus of a client's nerve and is in the space where the nerve is closest to the effector cell in a muscle. At what location is this signal?

Synapse

What statement best explains the central and peripheral nervous system?

The two main divisions that control the nervous system are the central and peripheral nervous system.

A client has a neurologic disorder in which signals from healthy nerves are not being received by the cell bodies of subsequent nerves. What is the nurse's best interpretation of this phenomenon?

There are likely structural or functional abnormalities involving dendrites

GABA plays an important role in preventing overexcitability.

True

Which ion is required for neurotransmitter release from storage sites in the small sacs known as synaptic vesicles?

calcium

The nurse is caring for a client who experienced damage to the midbrain during neurologic surgery. The nurse will expect the client to exhibit what sign?

difficulty in distinguishing hot and cold

The nurse is caring for a client whose unpredictable emotions are due to an infarct in the limbic system. The nurse should be aware that this part of the brain contains high levels of what neurotransmitters? Select all that apply.

epinephrine serotonin norepinephrine

Dendrites route information away from the nerve cell while axons bring information to the nerve.

false

A 46-year-old male client sustained a closed head injury four hours ago. He now presents to the emergency department because he is having difficulty breathing. This is a result of swelling around the:

medulla oblongata.

The CNS structure containing groups of neurons responsible for vital cardiac, respiratory, and vasomotor functions is the:

medulla oblongata.

A client has pheochromocytoma, which causes hypertension due to excessive hormone release from the adrenal medulla. This client's symptoms are due to disruptions in the level of what hormone?

norepinephrine

What occurs when the cell returns to the resting membrane potential?

repolarization

Characteristics that allow neurons to communicate with other body cells include:

the ability to be stimulated and to convey electrical impulses.