Stroke of Genius
This is a common acronym is used to remember the major warning signs of a stroke.
What is F.A.S.T. (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911)
This neurotransmitter is primarily deficient in the brain of a patient with Parkinson's disease
What is dopamine?
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of this general cognitive disorder
What is dementia?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects this part of the nervous system
What is The central nervous system (CNS)?
This is the most sensitive and earliest indicator of a patient's neurological status and potential changes
What is level of consciousness (LOC)?
These are the two main types of stroke
What is Ischemic (caused by a blockage/clot) and Hemorrhagic (caused by bleeding/ruptured vessel)
These are the four cardinal motor symptoms (TRAP) of Parkinson's disease
What are Tremor (usually resting), Rigidity, Akinesia/bradykinesia (slowness/absence of movement), and Postural instability
This is typically one of the first and most common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
What is Difficulty remembering newly learned information (short-term memory loss)
In MS, the immune system attacks and damages the protective covering of nerve fibers. this covering called ....
What is Myelin sheath?
When assessing a patient's pupils, this is the acronym used to document a normal finding
What is PERRLA (Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light, and Accommodation)?
A client presents with sudden onset of symptoms that resolve within a few minutes to an hour. This is a "mini-stroke" that has another name.
What is A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). It is a warning sign that a full stroke may occur in the future.
A nurse is caring for a patient with Parkinson's disease who is experiencing a "wearing-off" effect of their medication. This medication is the most common and effective treatment that helps alleviate motor symptoms, but can cause dyskinesias with long-term use.
What is Levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet)?
A patient with moderate Alzheimer's is becoming agitated and restless, especially in the evening. This is the term for this phenomenon, and these are some nursing interventions
What is Sundowning? Interventions include maintaining a structured daily schedule, providing a calm environment, and ensuring safety (e.g., monitoring for wandering)
This is the most common course of MS involves periods of new or recurring symptoms followed by periods of stability.
What is Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)?
A nurse is using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to assess a patient. These are the three components of the GCS score
What are Eye opening response, Verbal response, and Motor response?
A nurse is preparing a client with a history of TIA for discharge. This is the most common antiplatelet agent prescribed
What are Aspirin or Clopidogrel (Plavix)? Education should emphasize compliance to prevent further clot formation.
Beyond motor symptoms, these are some common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease that a nurse should assess for
What are Sleep problems, constipation, loss of smell (hyposmia), depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment/dementia
The definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is made upon autopsy, revealing two specific abnormal protein structures in the brain. Name these two structures.
What are Amyloid plaques (deposits between nerve cells) and neurofibrillary tangles(twisted fibers of tau protein inside cells)
A nurse is providing education to a client newly diagnosed with MS. These are some common triggers that can exacerbate MS symptoms or cause a relapse.
What are Heat/overheating, fever, infection, and stress?
The nurse asks the patient to follow their finger in an "H" pattern to assess extraocular movements. These three cranial nerves are being tested simultaneously with this action
What are Cranial Nerves III (Oculomotor), IV (Trochlear), and VI (Abducens)?
A patient who suffered a left-hemisphere stroke is struggling to communicate, having difficulty speaking and writing words correctly, though they seem to understand simple commands. This type of aphasia are they likely experiencing is ________, the nurse should employ these communication strategies
What is Broca's aphasia (expressive aphasia)? Strategies include using simple yes/no questions, using communication boards or picture flashcards, and avoiding shouting or speaking too quickly.
Beyond managing motor symptoms, nursing care for advanced Parkinson's disease focuses heavily on safety and quality of life. List the specific nursing interventions address the risks associated with postural instability, freezing of gait, and potential aspiration
What are Aspiration precautions (e.g., thickened liquids, sitting upright), physical therapy referrals, implementing fall prevention measures like "walking tall" and using assistive devices, and avoiding rugs/clutter in the environment.
A nurse is educating a family about managing communication with a loved one who has advanced Alzheimer's. These are some "golden rules" for communication with a person with dementia
What are Do not ask direct questions (they may not remember the answer), listen to the person and learn from them, and do not contradict or argue with them
MS can cause a wide variety of symptoms depending on the location of the damage in the CNS. These visual symptoms are often some of the earliest signs of MS
What are Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve, causing pain with eye movement and vision loss), blurred/double vision (diplopia), or graying of vision?
A GCS score is calculated as E1 V1 M2. This total score indicates this and how is it generally classified
Eye movement =1
Verbal response = 1
Motor response =2
What is A total score of 4? This is classified as a severe brain injury/coma, as a score of 8 or less typically indicates a severe impairment.