Pathophysiology Prep U Ch 16

The chart of a client admitted because of seizures notes that the seizure activity began simultaneously in both cerebral hemispheres. The nurse should interpret this to mean that the client experienced:

generalized seizures

The nurse is caring for an older adult client with hemiplegia following a stroke. While planning the client's care, the nurse knows the client is at risk for developing which condition?

muscle atrophy

The nurse reading a client's lumbar puncture results notifies the physician of findings consistent with meningitis when which sign/symptom is noted?

Large number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils

Global and focal brain injuries manifest differently. What is almost always a manifestation of a global brain injury?

altered level of consciousness

Which intracranial volume is most capable of compensating for increasing intracranial pressure?

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

An 80-year-old client with a history of heavy alcohol use is being seen by his provider for drowsiness, confusion, and headache. His family states that he fell and hit his head "several weeks ago." Which type of hematoma does the provider suspect?

chronic subdural

The nurse working in an emergency room is caring for a client who is exhibiting signs and symptoms of a stroke. What does the nurse anticipate that the physician's orders will include

ct scan

The parents of an infant born with hydrocephalus are concerned about the size of the baby's head. The doctors are telling them that the infant needs the surgical placement of a shunt. The nurse caring for the infant in the neonatal intensive care unit explains that placement of a shunt will:

decrease the likelihood of further neurological deficits EXPLAINATION: The placement of a shunt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid decreases intracranial pressure and thereby decreases the likelihood of further neurologic deficits. The placement of a shunt may or may not affect the size of the infant's head or reverse neurologic deficits that may have already occurred.

An emergency room nurse receives a report that a client's Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is 3. The nurse prepares to care for a client with which of the following?

flaccid motor response

A client's emergency magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been examined by the physician and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been administered to the client. What was this client's mostlikely diagnosis?

ischemic stroke EXPLANATION: Thrombolytic therapy for the acute treatment of ischemic stroke consists of the intravenous administration of tPA. This drug would exacerbate a subarachnoid hemorrhage by inhibiting the clotting mechanism, and it is not relevant to the care of clients with encephalitis or status epilepticus.

The nurse is assessing a client and notes the client is now displaying decerebrate posturing. The position would be documented as:

rigidity of the arms with palms of the hands turned away from the body and with stiffly extended legs and plantar flexion of the feet.

Brain death is the term that is used when the loss of function of the entire brain is irreversible. A clinical examination must be done and repeated at least 6 hours later with the same findings for brain death to be declared. What is not assessed in the clinical examination for brain death?

electrocardiogram

The emergency room doctor suspects a client may have bacterial meningitis. The most important diagnostic test to perform would be:

lumbar puncture

A client who is being seen in the outpatient clinic reports a single episode of unilateral arm and leg weakness and blurred vision that lasted approximately 45 minutes. The client is most likely experiencing:

TIA

The nurse is explaining to a client's family how vasogenic brain edema occurs. The mostappropriate information for the nurse to provide would be:

The blood-brain barrier is disrupted, allowing fluid to escape into the extracellular fluid.