Seizures questions
48. The nurse educator is presenting an in-service on seizures. Which disease process is the leading cause of seizures in the elderly? 1. Alzheimer's disease. 2. Parkinson's disease. 3. Cerebral vascular accident (stroke). 4. Brain atrophy due to aging.
3. A CVA (stroke) is the leading cause of seizures in the elderly; increased intracranial pressure associated with the stroke can lead to seizures.
45. The client has been newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Which discharge instructions should be taught to the client? Select all that apply. 1. Keep a record of seizure activity. 2. Take tub baths only; do not take showers. 3. Avoid over-the-counter medications. 4. Have anticonvulsant medication serum levels checked regularly. 5. Do not drive alone; have someone in the car.
1. Keeping a seizure and medication chart will be helpful when keeping follow-up appointments with the health-care provider and in identifying activities that may trigger a seizure. 3. Over-the-counter medications may contain ingredients that will interact with antiseizure medications or, in some cases, as with use of stimulants, possibly cause a seizure. 4. Most of the anticonvulsant medications have therapeutic serum levels that should be maintained, and regular checks of the serum levels help to ensure the correct level.
44. The client is admitted to the intensive care department (ICD) experiencing status epilepticus. Which collaborative intervention should the nurse anticipate? 1. Assess the client's neurological status every hour. 2. Monitor the client's heart rhythm via telemetry. 3. Administer an anticonvulsant medication by intravenous push. 4. Prepare to administer a glucocorticosteroid orally.
3. Administering an anticonvulsant medication by intravenous push requires the nurse to have an order or confer with another member of the health-care team.
True or False: A patient who is experiencing a tonic-clonic seizure is experiencing a focal (partial) seizure.
False. A patient who is experiencing a tonic-clonic seizure is experiencing a GENERLAIZED seizure. This type of seizure affects both sides of the brain
Keeping the previous question in mind, the patient is now experiencing characteristics of a tonic-clonic seizure. The seizure started at 1402 and it is now 1408, and the patient is still experiencing a seizure. The nurse should? A. Continue to monitor the patient B. Suction the patient C. Initiate the emergency response system D. Restrain the patient to prevent further injury
The answer is C. Tonic-clonic seizures should last about 1-3 minutes. If the seizure lasts MORE than 5 minutes, the patient needs medical treatment FAST to stop the seizure....this is known as status epilepticus
You have a patient who has a brain tumor and is at risk for seizures. In the patient's plan of care you incorporate seizure precautions. Select below all the proper steps to take in initiating seizure precautions: A. Oxygen and suction at bedside B. Bed in highest position C. Remove all pillows from the patient's head D. Have restraints on stand-by E. Padded bed rails F. Remove restrictive objects or clothing from patient's body G. IV access
The answers are A, E, F, and G. The bed needs to be in the LOWEST position possible, a pillow should be underneath the patient's head to protect it from injury, AVOID using restraints (this can cause musculoskeletal damage).
37. The male client is sitting in the chair and his entire body is rigid with his arms and legs contracting and relaxing. The client is not aware of what is going on and is making guttural sounds. Which action should the nurse implement first? 1. Push aside any furniture. 2. Place the client on his side. 3. Assess the client's vital signs. 4. Ease the client to the floor. Company. Kindle Edition.
4. The client should not remain in the chair during a seizure. He should be brought safely to the floor so that he will have room to move the extremities.
You're assessing a patient who recently experienced a focal type seizure (partial seizure). As the nurse, you know that which statement by the patient indicates the patient may have experienced a focal impaired awareness (complex partial) seizure? A. "My friend reported that during the seizure I was staring off and rubbing my hands together, but I don't remember doing this." B. "I remember having vision changes, but it didn't last long." C. "I woke up on the floor with my mouth bleeding." D. "After the seizure I was very sleepy, and I had a headache for several hours."
The answer is A. The patient will experience an alternation in consciousness (hence the name focal IMPAIRED awareness) AND will perform an action without knowing they are doing it called automatism like lip-smacking, rubbing the hands together etc. With a focal onset AWARE seizure (also called partial simple seizure) the patient is aware and will remember what happens (like vision changes etc.).
You're developing discharge instructions to the parents of a child who experiences atonic seizures. What information below is important to include in the teaching? A. "This type of seizure is hard to detect because the child may appear like he or she is daydreaming." B. "Be sure your child wears a helmet daily." C. "It is common for the child to feel extremely tired after experiencing this type of seizure." D. "Avoid high fat and low carbohydrate diets."
The answer is B. This type of seizure leads to a sudden loss of muscle tone. The patient will go limp and fall, which when this happens the head is usually the first part of the body to hit the floor or an object nearby. It is important the child wears a helmet daily to protect their head from injury. Option A is a characteristic of an absence seizure. Option C is a characteristic of a tonic-clonic seizure during the post ictus stage. And option D is wrong because some patients benefit from this type of diet known as the ketogenic diet
Neurons in the brain are tasked with handling and transmitting information. There are different types of neurons, such as excitatory and inhibitory. Excitatory neurons release the neurotransmitter _____________, while inhibitory neurons release the neurotransmitter ________________. A. GABA, glutamate B. Norepinephrine, GABA C. Glutamate, GABA D. Dopamine, glutamate
The answer is C. Excitatory neurons release glutamate and inhibitory neurons release GABA
40. The nurse enters the room as the client is beginning to have a tonic-clonic seizure. What action should the nurse implement first? 1. Note the first thing the client does in the seizure. 2. Assess the size of the client's pupils. 3. Determine if the client is incontinent of urine or stool. 4. Provide the client with privacy during the seizure.
1. Noticing the first thing the client does during a seizure provides information and clues as to the location of the seizure in the brain. It is important to document whether the beginning of the seizure was observed.
47. The nurse asks the male client with epilepsy if he has auras with his seizures. The client says, "I don't know what you mean. What are auras?" Which statement by the nurse would be the best response? 1. "Some people have a warning that the seizure is about to start." 2. "Auras occur when you are physically and psychologically exhausted." 3. "You're concerned that you do not have auras before your seizures?" 4. "Auras usually cause you to be sleepy after you have a seizure."
1. An aura is a visual, auditory, or olfactory occurrence that takes place prior to a seizure and warns the client a seizure is about to occur. The aura often allows time for the client to lie down on the floor or find a safe place to have the seizure.
38. The occupational health nurse is concerned about preventing occupation-related acquired seizures. Which intervention should the nurse implement? 1. Ensure that helmets are worn in appropriate areas. 2. Implement daily exercise programs for the staff. 3. Provide healthy foods in the cafeteria. 4. Encourage employees to wear safety glasses.
1. Head injury is one of the main reasons for epilepsy that can be prevented through occupational safety precautions and highway safety programs.
42. The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) is attempting to put an oral airway in the mouth of a client having a tonic-clonic seizure. Which action should the primary nurse take? 1. Help the UAP to insert the oral airway in the mouth. 2. Tell the UAP to stop trying to insert anything in the mouth. 3. Take no action because the UAP is handling the situation. 4. Notify the charge nurse of the situation immediately.
2. The nurse should tell the UAP to stop trying to insert anything in the mouth of the client experiencing a seizure. Broken teeth and injury to the lips and tongue may result from trying to place anything in the clenched jaws of a client having a tonic-clonic seizure.
41. The client who just had a three (3)-minute seizure has no apparent injuries and is oriented to name, place, and time but is very lethargic and just wants to sleep. Which intervention should the nurse implement? 1. Perform a complete neurological assessment. 2. Awaken the client every 30 minutes. 3. Turn the client to the side and allow the client to sleep. 4. Interview the client to find out what caused the seizure.
3. During the postictal (after-seizure) phase, the client is very tired and should be allowed to rest quietly; placing the client on the side will help prevent aspiration and maintain a patent airway.
46. Which statement by the female client indicates that the client understands factors that may precipitate seizure activity? 1. "It is all right for me to drink coffee for breakfast." 2. "My menstrual cycle will not affect my seizure disorder." 3. "I am going to take a class in stress management." 4. "I should wear dark glasses when I am out in the sun."
3. Tension states, such as anxiety and frustration, induce seizures in some clients, so stress management may be helpful in preventing seizures.
39. The client is scheduled for an electroencephalogram (EEG) to help diagnose a seizure disorder. Which preprocedure teaching should the nurse implement? 1. Tell the client to take any routine antiseizure medication prior to the EEG. 2. Tell the client not to eat anything for eight (8) hours prior to the procedure. 3. Instruct the client to stay awake for 24 hours prior to the EEG. 4. Explain to the client that there will be some discomfort during the procedure.
3. The goal is for the client to have a seizure during the EEG. Sleep deprivation, hyperventilating, or flashing lights may induce a seizure.
A hospital patient has experienced a seizure. In the immediate recovery period, what action best protects the patients safety? A) Place the patient in a side-lying position. B) Pad the patients bed rails. C) Administer antianxiety medications as ordered. D) Reassure the patient and family members.
Ans: A Feedback: To prevent complications, the patient is placed in the side-lying position to facilitate drainage of oral secretions. Suctioning is performed, if needed, to maintain a patent airway and prevent aspiration. None of the other listed actions promotes safety during the immediate recovery period.
While completing a health history on a patient who has recently experienced a seizure, the nurse would assess for what characteristic associated with the postictal state? A) Epileptic cry B) Confusion C) Urinary incontinence D) Body rigidity
Ans: B Feedback: In the postictal state (after the seizure), the patient is often confused and hard to arouse and may sleep for hours. The epileptic cry occurs from the simultaneous contractions of the diaphragm and chest muscles that occur during the seizure. Urinary incontinence and intense rigidity of the entire body are followed by alternating muscle relaxation and contraction (generalized tonic-clonic contraction) during the seizure.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is in status epilepticus. What medication does the nurse know may be given to halt the seizure immediately? A) Intravenous phenobarbital (Luminal) B) Intravenous diazepam (Valium) C) Oral lorazepam (Ativan) D) Oral phenytoin (Dilantin)
Ans: B Feedback: Medical management of status epilepticus includes IV diazepam (Valium) and IV lorazepam (Ativan) given slowly in an attempt to halt seizures immediately. Other medications (phenytoin, phenobarbital) are given later to maintain a seizure-free state. Oral medications are not given during status epilepticus.
A patient has been admitted to the neurologic unit for the treatment of a newly diagnosed brain tumor. The patient has just exhibited seizure activity for the first time. What is the nurses priority response to this event? A) Identify the triggers that precipitated the seizure. B) Implement precautions to ensure the patients safety. C) Teach the patients family about the relationship between brain tumors and seizure activity. D) Ensure that the patient is housed in a private room.
Ans: B Feedback: Patients with seizures are carefully monitored and protected from injury. Patient safety is a priority over health education, even though this is appropriate and necessary. Specific triggers may or may not be evident; identifying these is not the highest priority. A private room is preferable, but not absolutely necessary.
A school nurse is called to the playground where a 6-year-old girl has been found unresponsive and staring into space, according to the playground supervisor. How would the nurse document the girls activity in her chart at school? A) Generalized seizure B) Absence seizure C) Focal seizure D) Unclassified seizure
Ans: B Feedback: Staring episodes characterize an absence seizure, whereas focal seizures, generalized seizures, and unclassified seizures involve uncontrolled motor activity.
A patient has experienced a seizure in which she became rigid and then experienced alternating muscle relaxation and contraction. What type of seizure does the nurse recognize? A) Unclassified seizure B) Absence seizure C) Generalized seizure D) Focal seizure
Ans: C Feedback: Generalized seizures often involve both hemispheres of the brain, causing both sides of the body to react. Intense rigidity of the entire body may occur, followed by alternating muscle relaxation and contraction (generalized tonicclonic contraction). This pattern of rigidity does not occur in patients who experience unclassified, absence, or focal seizures.
A neurologic nurse is reviewing seizures with a group of staff nurses. How should this nurse best describe the cause of a seizure? A) Sudden electrolyte changes throughout the brain B) A dysrhythmia in the peripheral nervous system C) A dysrhythmia in the nerve cells in one section of the brain D) Sudden disruptions in the blood flow throughout the brain
Ans: C Feedback: The underlying cause of a seizure is an electrical disturbance (dysrhythmia) in the nerve cells in one section of the brain; these cells emit abnormal, recurring, uncontrolled electrical discharges. Seizures are not caused by changes in blood flow or electrolytes.
A patient with a documented history of seizure disorder experiences a generalized seizure. What nursing action is most appropriate? A) Restrain the patient to prevent injury. B) Open the patients jaws to insert an oral airway. C) Place patient in high Fowlers position. D) Loosen the patients restrictive clothing.
Ans: D Feedback: An appropriate nursing intervention would include loosening any restrictive clothing on the patient. No attempt should be made to restrain the patient during the seizure because muscular contractions are strong and restraint can produce injury. Do not attempt to pry open jaws that are clenched in a spasm to insert anything. Broken teeth and injury to the lips and tongue may result from such an action. If possible, place the patient on one side with head flexed forward, which allows the tongue to fall forward and facilitates drainage of saliva and mucus.
The nurse is providing care for a patient who is withdrawing from heavy alcohol use. The nurse and other members of the care team are present at the bedside when the patient has a seizure. In preparation for documenting this clinical event, the nurse should note which of the following? A) The ability of the patient to follow instructions during the seizure. B) The success or failure of the care team to physically restrain the patient. C) The patients ability to explain his seizure during the postictal period. D) The patients activities immediately prior to the seizure.
Ans: D Feedback: Before and during a seizure, the nurse observes the circumstances before the seizure, including visual, auditory, or olfactory stimuli; tactile stimuli; emotional or psychological disturbances; sleep; and hyperventilation. Communication with the patient is not possible during a seizure and physical restraint is not attempted. The patients ability to explain the seizure is not clinically relevant.
A male patient with a metastatic brain tumor is having a generalized seizure and begins vomiting. What should the nurse do first? A) Perform oral suctioning. B) Page the physician. C) Insert a tongue depressor into the patients mouth. D) Turn the patient on his side.
Ans: D Feedback: The nurses first response should be to place the patient on his side to prevent him from aspirating emesis. Inserting something into the seizing patients mouth is no longer part of a seizure protocol. Obtaining supplies to suction the patient would be a delegated task. Paging or calling the physician would only be necessary if this is the patients first seizure.
You're educating a 25-year-old female about possible triggers for seizures. Which statement requires you to re-educate the patient about the triggers? A. "I'm at risk for seizure activity during my menstrual cycle." B. "I will limit my alcohol intake to 2 glasses of wine per day." C. "It's important I get plenty of sleep." D. "I will be sure to stay hydrated, especially during hot weather."
The answer is B. The patient should avoid all alcohol because it can lead to a seizure. Hormone shifts (menstrual cycle, ovulation, pregnancy) sleep deprivation, and dehydration can lead to a seizure
Your patient has entered the post ictus stage for seizures. The patient's seizure presented with an aura followed by body stiffening and then recurrent jerking. The patient had incontinence and bleeding in the mouth from injury to the tongue. What is an expected finding in this stage based on the type of seizure this patient experienced? A. Crying and anxiety B. Immediate return to baseline behavior C. Sleepy, headache, and soreness D. Unconsciousness
The answer is C. Based on the findings during the seizure the patient experienced a tonic-clonic seizure. In the post ictus stage (after the seizure) the patient is expected to be sleepy (very tired), have soreness, and a headache. The nurse should let the patient sleep.
Your patient has a history of epilepsy. While helping the patient to the restroom, the patient reports having this feeling of déjà vu and seeing spots in their visual field. Your next nursing action is to? A. Continue assisting the patient to the restroom and let them sit down. B. Initiate the emergency response system. C. Lay the patient down on their side with a pillow underneath the head. D. Assess the patient's medication history
The answer is C. The patient is reporting signs and symptoms of an aura (this is a warning sign before a seizure event). Lay the patient down on their side with a pillow underneath the head and remove any restrictive clothing. Also, time the seizure. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes or if the patient starts to have seizures back-to-back activate the emergency response system
An 8-year-old child, who is not responding to anti-seizure medications, is prescribed to start a ketogenic diet. This diet will include: A. High carbohydrates and high fat B. Low fat, high salt, and high carbohydrates C. High fat and low carbohydrates D. High glucose, high fat, and low carbohydrates
The answer is C. This is a type of diet used in the pediatric population with epilepsy whose seizures cannot be controlled by medication. It is a high fat and low carb diet.
A 7-year-old male patient is being evaluated for seizures. While in the child's room talking with the child's parents, you notice that the child appears to be daydreaming. You time this event to be 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, the child appropriately responds and doesn't recall the event. This is known as what type of seizure? A. Focal Impaired Awareness (complex partial) B. Atonic C. Tonic-clonic D. Absence
The answer is D. This is an absence seizure and is most common in children. The hallmark of it is staring that appears to be like a daydreaming state. It is very short and the post ictus stage of this type of seizure is immediate.
You're assessing your patient load for the patients who are at MOST risk for seizures. Select all the patients below that are at risk: A. A 32-year-old with a blood glucose of 20 mg/dL. B. A 63-year-old whose CT scan shows an ischemic stroke. C. A 72-year-old who is post opt day 5 from open heart surgery. D. A 16-year-old with bacterial meningitis. E. A 58-year-old experiencing ETOH withdrawal.
The answers are A, B, D, and E. All the patients are at risk except option C. Remember all the risk factors: illness (especially CNS types like bacterial meningitis), fever, electrolyte/metabolic issues (low blood sugar, acidosis etc), ETOH (alcohol) withdraw, brain injury, STROKE, congenital brain defects, tumors etc
You're patient is scheduled for an EEG (electroencephalogram). As the nurse you will: A. Keep the patient nothing by mouth. B. Hold seizure medications until after the test. C. Allow the patient to have coffee, milk, and juice only. D. Wash the patient's hair prior to the test. E. Administer a sedative prior to the test.
The answers are B and D. An EEG is a painless procedure that will assess the patient's brain activity (if a seizure occurs during the test this can allow the physician to determine what type of seizure it is). Therefore, the nurse would hold seizure medications (this can affect the test) and would NOT allow the patient to have caffeine like coffee or stimulant drugs (the patient can eat prior to the test just NO caffeine). The patient's hair should be cleaned prior to the test so the technician can apply the electrodes and get them to stick to the scalp easily. A sedative is not needed before this test