Assessment
This division of the autonomic nervous system is most likely triggered in a patient presenting with dilated pupils, dry mouth, tachycardia, and hypoactive bowel sounds.
What is, the sympathetic nervous system
As a nurse on the floor, if a patient has a seizure the first primary intervention would be...
What is, Maintain Airway
Taking a break from mental activities, such as reading and writing, is part of the home care after this neurological disorder.
What is, a concussion
Acetaminophen may be the only medication prescribed after this diagnosis. Non-pharmacological treatment includes several dos and don'ts, these may include _________. Name 3 of 6 listed.
Low light, No reading or writing, Limit TV & tablet, Rest or avoid physical activity, Avoid alcohol, No hot baths
Seizures are divided into these 3 major classes based on where in brain the seizure starts.
What are, Generalized Onset, Focal Onset, Unknown Onset
This type of trauma occurs when the head strikes a surface or object and has also sustained injury on the opposite side of initial impaction.
What is, coup-contrecoup
Monitoring serum _________ levels may help determine a common secondary cause of Restless Legs Syndrome, often due to metabolic problems. This can be corrected with supplements and diet.
What is, serum ferritin level
Will accept iron level
This diet can be beneficial for seizure patients who are poorly controlled by medication. Its ability to produce an alternate fuel source for the brain has a anti-elliptic effect.
What is, Keto-diet
up to 90% of calories from Fat=NIH-National Library of Medicine
Ropinirole, Pramipexole, and Rotigotine help to mimic the affects of this neurotransmitter, which helps to relax over stimulated neurons. These medications are the primary drug treatment for this disorders.
What is , dopamine
What is, Restless Leg Syndrome
This syndrome can included headaches, lethargy, personality change anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months after a head trauma.
What is Postconcussion Syndrome?
Assessment for this disorder is mostly based on history and reports from not only the patient, but their bed partner(s).
What is, Restless Legs Syndrome
Certain injuries are especially high risk with atonic seizures, due to its sudden loss of muscle tone. Many patients wear _______ to decrease safety risk.
What is, a helmet
A seizure patient is being discharged, this might be include when thinking about safety and hygiene practices.
What is, take a shower instead of bath
Decrease risk of drowning.
When treating Status Epilepticus, this family of medication would typically be given during the initial phase.
An example of this medication might include the following. Name 1 of 3 listed.
What is, benzodiazepines
What is, Lorazepam, Midazolam, or Diazepam
This is the most common type of seizure, with motor symptoms that might include lip smacking, picking at clothes, or other non-purposeful repetitive movements. (automatisms)
What is, Focal Seizures
In assessing seizures, to help with diagnosis, its important to to include these 5 descriptors, though they may not occur in all cases. Name three of five.
What are aura, onset, duration, frequency, and postictal
A patient comes in after playing football, witnesses say he hit his head on the left side. The patient lost consciousness for 15 minutes, pupils are slightly dilated, has no memory of the injury, complaining of a headache that is gets worse with light, nausea, and left pupil response is slightly sluggishly. Which symptom would cause the nurse the greatest concern? What diagnostic test would you expect next?
What is, left pupil sluggish
Will accept unconscious for 15 minutes
What is, ordering a head CT
Keeping a diary is recommended to help aid in the diagnosis and treatment plan for this non-curable disorder. 5 specific characteristics need to be meet in order to diagnose.
What is, Restless Legs Syndrome
A patient with a history of seizures has complaints of altered sensorium, lethargy, ataxia, and nystagmus, the nurse doing the triage might be concerned about this issue.
What is, anticonvulsant toxicity
Most people have this type of the disorder, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease. Its pathology is not fully understood a this time, but believed to be related to disruption in the pathway for the neurotransmitter dopamine.
What is, Restless Legs Syndrome Primary
This scale measures three categories, has a best score of 15, worst score of 3, and is an assessment of impaired consciousness. The name of the scale is _______and three categories include....
What is, Glasgow Coma Scale
and Eye Opening Response, Best Verbal Response, and Best Motor Response
A patient has a tonic-clonic seizure, and is awakening from a postictal phase. The nurse would perform this assessment before administering a swallow test and allowing the patient to drink.
What is, gag reflex
Non-compliance of medication is a major factor for most patients. This is often one of the most important education topics for discharge of a patient with seizures.
What is, Do Not Stop Anti-seizure Medications Abruptly
This medication is used to treat seizures, restless leg syndrome, and neuropathies. It helps the receptors to respond to the neurotransmitter it was named after, and to increase release of that neurotransmitter.
What is GABA analogs
Will accept gabapentin (Neurontin), pregabalin (Lyrica), vigabatrin (Sabril), or enacarbril (Horizant)
Seizures can have up to four phases described as followed:
1. Sensations or changes days or hours before
2. The same visual or olfactory sensation directly before
3. 1st symptom to to end of seizure activity
4. The recovery period after the seizure
Identify 3 of the above four phases.
What is ,
1. prodromal - headaches, confusion, anxiety, irritability, tremor, and anger
2. aura - lights, halos, smells, roller coaster-stomach feeling, and deja vu
3. ictal - varies
4. postictal- varies or none