my nerves
This CN tests for a sense of smell using 2 scents, one for each nostril.
What is CN I - Olfactory Nerve
This part of the Cerebral Cortex is responsible for personality, emotions, behavior and intellectual functions.
What is the frontal lobe?
This is one way to test for balance.
What is the Romberg test?
What is assessing gait?
What is tandem walking?
This causes an involuntary contraction of the biceps muscle, resulting in a flexion of the forearm at the elbow.
This quantitative assessment tool is used to evaluate a patient's level of consciousness.
Glascow Coma Scale
This CN is tested using the whisper test.
What is the Auditory/Acoustic nerve?
This part of the cerebral cortex is responsible for taste, smell and hearing.
What is the temporal lobe?
These are two ways to test coordination and skilled movements.
What are:
1.Rapid alternating movements
2.Finger to finger test
3.Finger to nose test
4. Heel to shin test
This causes a stretch of the quadriceps muscle, triggering a rapid contraction.
What is the patellar reflex?
During a neurologic recheck, this finding is the single most important indicator of a change in neurologic status.
A change in Level of Consciousness (LOC)
This set of nerves are tested by assessing the uvula rise in the midline and assessing the gag reflex.
What are CN IX and X - the Glossopharyngeal and the Vagus nerves.
This part of the brain is responsible for motor coordination, equilibrium and balance.
What is the cerebellum?
These are two ways to test sensory of the spinothalmic track.
What is:
1. superficial pain
2. temperature
3. light touch
This causes a quick and brief contraction of the calf muscles occurs, causing the foot to jerk downwards (plantarflexion).
What is the Achilles reflex?
A patient reports loss of sensation in both feet and hands, with the most severe sensory loss occurring distally. This pattern suggests this neurologic abnormality.
Peripheral Neuropathy
These nerves both have a motor and a sensory component that include making faces, taste and sensory tests.
What are CN V and VII - Trigeminal and Facial nerves.
This part of the brain is responsible for visual reception.
What is the occipital lobe?
These are two ways to test tactile discrimination.
What are:
1. Stereogenesis
2. Two point discrimination
This causes slight flexion and supination (turning the palm upward) of the forearm at the elbow.
What is the bracheoradialis reflex?
Following a neurologic injury, a patient demonstrates flexion of the arms, wrists, and fingers toward the chest with extension of the legs. This abnormal posture is present.
Decorticate posturing
These CN are tested by assessing extra-occular eye muscles movements.
What are CN III, IV, and VI - Oculomotor, Trochlear and Abducens.
This part of the brain is responsible for speech comprehension.
What is Wernicke's area?
These are the the deep tendon reflexes we check.
What are:
1. Biceps
2. Triceps
3. Bracheoradialis
4. Patellar
5. Achilles + clonus
This looks for a tetnai of the calf muscle when forcing the foot into dorsiflexion.
What is clonus?
During a neurological assessment, the nurse observes repetitive, involuntary movements of the patient's jaw, lips, and tongue. These abnormal movements are known by this term.
Dyskinesia