You act on stroke, seizure, and neuro-status changes before the window closes. Five of the 15 questions include the correct answer and rationale. The other ten keep answers in the study hub. Continue with the RN exams exam guide or more RN exams practice questions.
Five neurology questions with answers
Cover the key. Write the first action. Then open the rationale and name why the other choices fail.
Question 1
The central nervous system is made up of
A. sensory organs and muscles.
B. the brain and muscles.
C. the sensory organs and spinal cord.
D. the brain and spinal column.
Show answer and rationale
Correct answer: D — the brain and spinal column.
The correct answer is D: the brain and spinal column. The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, which are responsible for processing and transmitting information throughout the body. The brain controls cognitive functions and coordinates movement, while the spinal cord serves as a pathway for nerve signals.
Explanation:
1. The brain is the primary organ for processing information and controlling bodily functions.
2. The spinal cord acts as a conduit for nerve signals to travel between the brain and the rest of the body.
3. Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system, playing a crucial role in overall body function.
Summary of other choices:
A: Sensory organs and muscles do not constitute the central nervous system. Sensory organs detect stimuli, while muscles are part of the peripheral nervous system.
B: The brain and muscles are not the only components of the central nervous system. The spinal cord is also a crucial part.
C: While the sensory organs and spinal cord are components of the nervous system
Question 2
The central nervous system is made up of
A. sensory organs and muscles.
B. the brain and muscles.
C. the sensory organs and spinal cord.
D. the brain and spinal column.
Show answer and rationale
Correct answer: D — the brain and spinal column.
The correct answer is D: the brain and spinal column. The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, which are responsible for processing and transmitting information throughout the body. The brain controls cognitive functions and coordinates movement, while the spinal cord serves as a pathway for nerve signals.
Explanation:
1. The brain is the primary organ for processing information and controlling bodily functions.
2. The spinal cord acts as a conduit for nerve signals to travel between the brain and the rest of the body.
3. Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system, playing a crucial role in overall body function.
Summary of other choices:
A: Sensory organs and muscles do not constitute the central nervous system. Sensory organs detect stimuli, while muscles are part of the peripheral nervous system.
B: The brain and muscles are not the only components of the central nervous system. The spinal cord is also a crucial part.
C: While the sensory organs and spinal cord are components of the nervous system
Question 3
A patient has blindness related to a functional neurological (conversion) disorder. To help the patient eat, the nurse should:
A. establish a buddy system with other patients who can feed the patient at each meal.
B. expect the patient to feed himself or herself after explaining the arrangement of the food on the tray.
C. direct the patient to locate items on the tray independently and feed himself or herself unassisted.
D. address the needs of other patients in the dining room, and then feed this patient.
Show answer and rationale
Correct answer: B — expect the patient to feed himself or herself after explaining the arrangement of the food on the tray.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
1. Expecting the patient to feed himself/herself after explaining the arrangement of the food on the tray promotes independence and autonomy.
2. It respects the patient's capabilities and encourages self-reliance, which is important for rehabilitation in functional neurological disorders.
3. Providing clear instructions can help the patient navigate the task despite the blindness, fostering a sense of accomplishment.
4. This approach aligns with patient-centered care principles, prioritizing the patient's dignity and self-care abilities.
Summary of other choices:
A. Establishing a buddy system may not address the patient's need for independence and could potentially undermine their self-esteem.
C. Directing the patient to locate items independently may not be practical or safe given the blindness, and it may lead to frustration.
D. Neglecting the patient's needs in favor of others is not in line with providing individualized care and could compromise patient outcomes.
Question 4
A patient has blindness related to a functional neurological (conversion) disorder. To help the patient eat, the nurse should:
A. establish a buddy system with other patients who can feed the patient at each meal.
B. expect the patient to feed himself or herself after explaining the arrangement of the food on the tray.
C. direct the patient to locate items on the tray independently and feed himself or herself unassisted.
D. address the needs of other patients in the dining room, and then feed this patient.
Show answer and rationale
Correct answer: B — expect the patient to feed himself or herself after explaining the arrangement of the food on the tray.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
1. Expecting the patient to feed himself/herself after explaining the arrangement of the food on the tray promotes independence and autonomy.
2. It respects the patient's capabilities and encourages self-reliance, which is important for rehabilitation in functional neurological disorders.
3. Providing clear instructions can help the patient navigate the task despite the blindness, fostering a sense of accomplishment.
4. This approach aligns with patient-centered care principles, prioritizing the patient's dignity and self-care abilities.
Summary of other choices:
A. Establishing a buddy system may not address the patient's need for independence and could potentially undermine their self-esteem.
C. Directing the patient to locate items independently may not be practical or safe given the blindness, and it may lead to frustration.
D. Neglecting the patient's needs in favor of others is not in line with providing individualized care and could compromise patient outcomes.
Question 5
A patient diagnosed with a somatic symptom disorder has the nursing diagnosis: Interrupted family processes, related to patient's disabling symptoms as evidenced by the spouse and children assuming roles and tasks that previously belonged to patient. An appropriate outcome is that the patient will:
A. assume roles and functions of the other family members.
B. demonstrate a resumption of former roles and tasks.
C. focus energy on problems occurring in the family.
D. rely on family members to meet his or her personal needs.
Show answer and rationale
Correct answer: B — demonstrate a resumption of former roles and tasks.
The correct answer is B: demonstrate a resumption of former roles and tasks. This outcome implies that the patient will regain the ability to fulfill their own roles and tasks within the family, indicating improvement in the interrupted family processes. This aligns with the goal of promoting the patient's independence and reducing the burden on other family members.
Choice A is incorrect because having the patient assume roles and functions of other family members does not address the underlying issue of the patient's somatic symptom disorder and may lead to further dysfunction within the family.
Choice C is incorrect as it suggests the patient should focus on problems in the family, which may not directly address the interrupted family processes related to the patient's symptoms.
Choice D is incorrect as it promotes dependency on family members to meet the patient's personal needs, which does not encourage the patient to regain their former roles and tasks within the family.
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Question 6
A patient diagnosed with a somatic symptom disorder has the nursing diagnosis: Interrupted family processes, related to patient's disabling symptoms as evidenced by the spouse and children assuming roles and tasks that previously belonged to patient. An appropriate outcome is that the patient will:
A. assume roles and functions of the other family members.
B. demonstrate a resumption of former roles and tasks.
C. focus energy on problems occurring in the family.
D. rely on family members to meet his or her personal needs.
Correct answer:
The correct answer is B: demonstrate a resumption of former roles and tasks. This outcome implies that the patient will regain the ability to fulfill their own roles and tasks within the family, indicating improvement in the interrupted family processes. This aligns with the goal of promoting the patient's independence and reducing the burden on other family members.
Choice A is incorrect because having the patient assume roles and functions of other family members does not address the underlying issue of the patient's somatic symptom disorder and may lead to further dysfunction within the family.
Choice C is incorrect as it suggests the patient should focus on problems in the family, which may not directly address the interrupted family processes related to the patient's symptoms.
Choice D is incorrect as it promotes dependency on family members to meet the patient's personal needs, which does not encourage the patient to regain their former roles and tasks within the family.
A medical-surgical nurse works with a patient diagnosed with a somatic system disorder. Care planning is facilitated by understanding that the patient will probably:
A. readily seek psychiatric counseling.
B. be resistant to accepting psychiatric help.
C. attend psychotherapy sessions without encouragement.
D. be eager to discover the true reasons for physical symptoms.
Correct answer:
The correct answer is B because individuals with somatic symptom disorders often resist psychiatric help due to their strong belief that their physical symptoms have a medical, not psychological, cause. This resistance can stem from fear of being labeled as "crazy" or of not being taken seriously. Therefore, the nurse should be aware of this resistance and approach the patient with empathy and understanding.
A: This is incorrect because individuals with somatic symptom disorders often do not readily seek psychiatric counseling due to their belief that their symptoms are purely physical.
C: This is incorrect because individuals with somatic symptom disorders may not attend psychotherapy sessions without encouragement due to their resistance to psychiatric help.
D: This is incorrect because individuals with somatic symptom disorders may not be eager to discover the true reasons for physical symptoms as they strongly believe in the medical cause.
A medical-surgical nurse works with a patient diagnosed with a somatic system disorder. Care planning is facilitated by understanding that the patient will probably:
A. readily seek psychiatric counseling.
B. be resistant to accepting psychiatric help.
C. attend psychotherapy sessions without encouragement.
D. be eager to discover the true reasons for physical symptoms.
Correct answer:
The correct answer is B because individuals with somatic symptom disorders often resist psychiatric help due to their strong belief that their physical symptoms have a medical, not psychological, cause. This resistance can stem from fear of being labeled as "crazy" or of not being taken seriously. Therefore, the nurse should be aware of this resistance and approach the patient with empathy and understanding.
A: This is incorrect because individuals with somatic symptom disorders often do not readily seek psychiatric counseling due to their belief that their symptoms are purely physical.
C: This is incorrect because individuals with somatic symptom disorders may not attend psychotherapy sessions without encouragement due to their resistance to psychiatric help.
D: This is incorrect because individuals with somatic symptom disorders may not be eager to discover the true reasons for physical symptoms as they strongly believe in the medical cause.
While gathering equipment after an injection, a nurse accidentally received a prick from an improperly capped needle. To interpret this sensation, which of these areas must be intact?
A. Corticospinal tract, medulla, and basal ganglia
B. Pyramidal tract, hypothalamus, and sensory cortex
C. Lateral spinothalamic tract, thalamus, and sensory cortex
D. Anterior spinothalamic tract, basal ganglia, and sensory cortex
Correct answer:
The correct answer is C: Lateral spinothalamic tract, thalamus, and sensory cortex. The lateral spinothalamic tract carries pain and temperature sensations to the thalamus, which then relays it to the sensory cortex for interpretation. In this scenario, the nurse's sensation of being pricked by the needle is a pain sensation, so the intactness of the lateral spinothalamic tract, thalamus, and sensory cortex is crucial for interpreting this sensation.
Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not involve the specific pathways responsible for transmitting pain sensations. The corticospinal tract (choice A) is involved in motor function, the pyramidal tract (choice B) is involved in voluntary movement, and the anterior spinothalamic tract (choice D) is not associated with pain and temperature sensations. Therefore, the correct answer is C as it directly relates to the interpretation of the pain sensation experienced by the nurse.
While gathering equipment after an injection, a nurse accidentally received a prick from an improperly capped needle. To interpret this sensation, which of these areas must be intact?
A. Corticospinal tract, medulla, and basal ganglia
B. Pyramidal tract, hypothalamus, and sensory cortex
C. Lateral spinothalamic tract, thalamus, and sensory cortex
D. Anterior spinothalamic tract, basal ganglia, and sensory cortex
Correct answer:
The correct answer is C: Lateral spinothalamic tract, thalamus, and sensory cortex. The lateral spinothalamic tract carries pain and temperature sensations to the thalamus, which then relays it to the sensory cortex for interpretation. In this scenario, the nurse's sensation of being pricked by the needle is a pain sensation, so the intactness of the lateral spinothalamic tract, thalamus, and sensory cortex is crucial for interpreting this sensation.
Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not involve the specific pathways responsible for transmitting pain sensations. The corticospinal tract (choice A) is involved in motor function, the pyramidal tract (choice B) is involved in voluntary movement, and the anterior spinothalamic tract (choice D) is not associated with pain and temperature sensations. Therefore, the correct answer is C as it directly relates to the interpretation of the pain sensation experienced by the nurse.
A 21-year-old patient has a head injury resulting from trauma and is unconscious. There are no other injuries. During the assessment what would the nurse expect to find when testing the patient's deep tendon reflexes?
A. Reflexes will be normal.
B. Reflexes cannot be elicited.
C. All reflexes will be diminished but present.
D. Some reflexes will be present, depending on the area of injury.
Correct answer:
The correct answer is A: Reflexes will be normal. In a patient with a head injury resulting from trauma and no other injuries, deep tendon reflexes are typically unaffected by the injury. The brain stem controls deep tendon reflexes, and since there are no other injuries, the reflexes should remain normal. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not align with the typical response of deep tendon reflexes in a head injury without other injuries. Choice B stating that reflexes cannot be elicited is incorrect as deep tendon reflexes are usually intact in this scenario. Choice C suggesting all reflexes will be diminished but present is incorrect as deep tendon reflexes are typically not affected by head injuries. Choice D stating that some reflexes will be present depending on the area of injury is incorrect because deep tendon reflexes are primarily controlled by the brain stem, which is not directly affected in this situation.
A 21-year-old patient has a head injury resulting from trauma and is unconscious. There are no other injuries. During the assessment what would the nurse expect to find when testing the patient's deep tendon reflexes?
A. Reflexes will be normal.
B. Reflexes cannot be elicited.
C. All reflexes will be diminished but present.
D. Some reflexes will be present, depending on the area of injury.
Correct answer:
The correct answer is A: Reflexes will be normal. In a patient with a head injury resulting from trauma and no other injuries, deep tendon reflexes are typically unaffected by the injury. The brain stem controls deep tendon reflexes, and since there are no other injuries, the reflexes should remain normal. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not align with the typical response of deep tendon reflexes in a head injury without other injuries. Choice B stating that reflexes cannot be elicited is incorrect as deep tendon reflexes are usually intact in this scenario. Choice C suggesting all reflexes will be diminished but present is incorrect as deep tendon reflexes are typically not affected by head injuries. Choice D stating that some reflexes will be present depending on the area of injury is incorrect because deep tendon reflexes are primarily controlled by the brain stem, which is not directly affected in this situation.
A patient has a severed spinal nerve as a result of trauma. Which statement is true in this situation?
A. Because there are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, no effect results if only one nerve is severed.
B. The dermatome served by this nerve will no longer experience any sensation.
C. The adjacent spinal nerves will continue to carry sensations for the dermatome served by the severed nerve.
D. A severed spinal nerve will only affect motor function of the patient because spinal nerves have no sensory component.
Correct answer:
Rationale for Correct Answer (C): When a spinal nerve is severed, adjacent spinal nerves can compensate and continue to carry sensations for the dermatome served by the severed nerve. This is possible due to the concept of dermatomes overlapping and the redundancy in sensory innervation. Therefore, the patient may still experience sensation in the affected area despite the specific nerve being severed.
Summary of Incorrect Choices:
A: Incorrect. Even if there are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, severing one nerve can still have a significant impact on sensory and motor functions depending on the location and severity of the injury.
B: Incorrect. Sensory loss would occur in the dermatome served by the severed nerve, but adjacent nerves can still carry sensations.
D: Incorrect. Spinal nerves have both sensory and motor components, so severing a spinal nerve can affect both sensory and motor functions, not just motor function.
A patient has a severed spinal nerve as a result of trauma. Which statement is true in this situation?
A. Because there are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, no effect results if only one nerve is severed.
B. The dermatome served by this nerve will no longer experience any sensation.
C. The adjacent spinal nerves will continue to carry sensations for the dermatome served by the severed nerve.
D. A severed spinal nerve will only affect motor function of the patient because spinal nerves have no sensory component.
Correct answer:
Rationale for Correct Answer (C): When a spinal nerve is severed, adjacent spinal nerves can compensate and continue to carry sensations for the dermatome served by the severed nerve. This is possible due to the concept of dermatomes overlapping and the redundancy in sensory innervation. Therefore, the patient may still experience sensation in the affected area despite the specific nerve being severed.
Summary of Incorrect Choices:
A: Incorrect. Even if there are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, severing one nerve can still have a significant impact on sensory and motor functions depending on the location and severity of the injury.
B: Incorrect. Sensory loss would occur in the dermatome served by the severed nerve, but adjacent nerves can still carry sensations.
D: Incorrect. Spinal nerves have both sensory and motor components, so severing a spinal nerve can affect both sensory and motor functions, not just motor function.
A patient reports fears of having cervical cancer and says to the nurse, I've had Pap smears by six different doctors. The results are normal, but I'm sure that's because of errors in the laboratory. Which disorder would the nurse suspect?
A. Functional neurologic (conversion) disorder
B. Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis)
C. Body dysmorphic disorder
D. Dissociative amnesia with fugue
Correct answer:
The correct answer is B: Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis). This disorder involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite medical reassurance. In this case, the patient's persistent fear of cervical cancer despite normal Pap smear results and attributing them to laboratory errors aligns with the characteristic of illness anxiety disorder.
Other choices:
A: Functional neurologic (conversion) disorder - This disorder involves physical symptoms without a medical explanation. The patient in the question does not exhibit physical symptoms.
C: Body dysmorphic disorder - This disorder involves preoccupation with perceived defects in physical appearance. The patient's concern is not related to body image.
D: Dissociative amnesia with fugue - This disorder involves memory loss with sudden travel or wandering. The patient does not display memory loss or wandering behavior in the scenario.
RN exams neurology practice questions for nursing students in the United States. Fifteen items. Five include answers and rationales in American English.
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