Neuro Flashcards
(49 cards)
what are three key things to observe about the neuro patient prior to touching/talking to the patient?
- patient movements
- eye opening
- arousal state
what are two considerations for vitals with regards to neuro patients?
- many have orders to keep BP below a certain level
2. monitor ICP if appropriate
what does lethargic mean
drowsy and may fall asleep without stimulation
difficulty with attention, questions, or tasks
what does obtunded mean
difficult to arouse from a somnolent state and confused when awake
what does stupor mean
response only to strong, generally noxious stimuli and returns unconscious when stimulation ends
what does coma mean
unaroused by any type of stimulation
how should you assess arousal state?
assess changes with different positions such as sidelying and sitting and with different sensory cues
what is selective attention
ability to focus on one source of input
what are the four categories of attention that can be used to describe mental status in patients
selective, divided, sustained, switching
what are two strategies for assessing attention
- read a list of numbers and ask them to repeat back (7 is typical)
- read a list of letters and every time a letter A is read then tap the table
what should be considered before making a judgement about a patient’s cognition?
assess sensory status
related the following words: cognition, awake, and attention
if the patient is not awake, they cannot give you attention. If a patient is awake but doesn’t give you attention then they have poor cognition
when considering mental status, what are the steps to addressing the asleep patient
- gently nudge and if they wake continue and record their quality of awake-ness
- if they remain asleep, provide additional stimulus
when considering mental status in a neuro patient, what are the steps to addressing the awake patient
introduce yourself and then record their quality of awake-ness throughout the session
what is AOx4
who, when, where, why
what is a special sensory consideration for the neuro population?
vision
what is a special motor contribution for the neuro population and how does it impact PT
swallowing and speech - aspiration precautions
where are the five major supine pressure points for ulcers?
occiput, shoulder, elbow, sacrum, and heel
where are the five major sidelying pressure points for ulcers
ear, shoulder, greater trochanter, outer and inner knee, ankle
where are the five major wheelchair pressure points for ulcers?
scapula, sacrum, IT, heel, and ball of foot
T/F: we perform CN exams
true, but not on every patient, every time, and certainly not if its already been done
what are the three categories of sensory integrity
superficial, deep, and combined cortical
what are three superficial sensory integrity tests
pain, touch, and temperature
what are three deep sensory integrity tests
proprioception, kinesthesia, and vibration
