Chapter 07: Mental Status
Ball: Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. When is the mental status portion of the neurologic system examination performed?
a. During the history-taking process
b. During assessment of cranial nerves and deep tendon reflexes
c. During the time when questions related to memory are asked
d. Continually, throughout the entire interaction with a patient
ANS: D
A mental status evaluation should be continually performed throughout the patient encounter.
Assessing and validating clues to
determine the individual’s ability to interact within the environment is a priority of the mental
status evaluation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
2. A 69-year-old truck driver presents with a sudden loss of the ability to understand spoken
language. This indicates a lesion in the:
a. temporal lobe.
b. Broca area.
c. frontal cortex.
d. cerebellum.
ANS: A
The temporal lobe, specifically in the Wernicke speech area, is responsible for the
comprehension of spoken and written language.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
3. The ability for abstract thinking normally develops during:
a. infancy.
b. early childhood.
c. adolescence.
d. adulthood.
ANS: C
Abstract thinking is an intellectual maturation that develops during adolescence.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
4. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) may be used to:
a. estimate cognitive changes quantitatively.
b. estimate personality disorders qualitatively.
c. diagnose neurologic disorders.
d. determine the cause of memory loss.
ANS: A
, The MMSE is a standard tool that functions to estimate cognitive function quantitatively or to
document cognitive changes serially.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
5. Assessing orientation to person, place, and time helps determine:
a. ability to understand analogies.
b. abstract reasoning.
c. attention span.
d. state of consciousness.
ANS: D
Orientation to person, place, and time are measures of states of consciousness and awareness.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
6. When you ask the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb or metaphor, you are assessing
which of the following?
a. Level of consciousness
b. Abstract reasoning
c. Emotional stability
d. Memory
ANS: B
Asking the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb, metaphor, or fable assesses the patient’s
ability to reason abstractly. Asking
the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb or metaphor does not assess level of
consciousness, emotional stability, or memory.
The Mini-Mental State Examination tests memory.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
7. Impairment of arithmetic skills is often the result of:
a. impaired execution of motor skills.
b. impaired judgment.
c. perceptual distortions.
d. depression.
ANS: D
The patient with depression can display difficulty with simple arithmetic calculations.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
8. Peripheral neuropathy is most likely to be manifested by:
a. impaired memory.
b. impaired abstract reasoning.
c. impaired writing ability.
d. hallucinations.
ANS: C
Uncoordinated writing or drawing may indicate peripheral neuropathy, dementia, parietal lobe
damage, or a cerebellar lesion.
Ball: Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. When is the mental status portion of the neurologic system examination performed?
a. During the history-taking process
b. During assessment of cranial nerves and deep tendon reflexes
c. During the time when questions related to memory are asked
d. Continually, throughout the entire interaction with a patient
ANS: D
A mental status evaluation should be continually performed throughout the patient encounter.
Assessing and validating clues to
determine the individual’s ability to interact within the environment is a priority of the mental
status evaluation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
2. A 69-year-old truck driver presents with a sudden loss of the ability to understand spoken
language. This indicates a lesion in the:
a. temporal lobe.
b. Broca area.
c. frontal cortex.
d. cerebellum.
ANS: A
The temporal lobe, specifically in the Wernicke speech area, is responsible for the
comprehension of spoken and written language.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
3. The ability for abstract thinking normally develops during:
a. infancy.
b. early childhood.
c. adolescence.
d. adulthood.
ANS: C
Abstract thinking is an intellectual maturation that develops during adolescence.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
4. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) may be used to:
a. estimate cognitive changes quantitatively.
b. estimate personality disorders qualitatively.
c. diagnose neurologic disorders.
d. determine the cause of memory loss.
ANS: A
, The MMSE is a standard tool that functions to estimate cognitive function quantitatively or to
document cognitive changes serially.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
5. Assessing orientation to person, place, and time helps determine:
a. ability to understand analogies.
b. abstract reasoning.
c. attention span.
d. state of consciousness.
ANS: D
Orientation to person, place, and time are measures of states of consciousness and awareness.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
6. When you ask the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb or metaphor, you are assessing
which of the following?
a. Level of consciousness
b. Abstract reasoning
c. Emotional stability
d. Memory
ANS: B
Asking the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb, metaphor, or fable assesses the patient’s
ability to reason abstractly. Asking
the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb or metaphor does not assess level of
consciousness, emotional stability, or memory.
The Mini-Mental State Examination tests memory.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
7. Impairment of arithmetic skills is often the result of:
a. impaired execution of motor skills.
b. impaired judgment.
c. perceptual distortions.
d. depression.
ANS: D
The patient with depression can display difficulty with simple arithmetic calculations.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
OBJ: Nursing process—assessment MSC: Physiologic Integrity: Physiologic Adaptation
8. Peripheral neuropathy is most likely to be manifested by:
a. impaired memory.
b. impaired abstract reasoning.
c. impaired writing ability.
d. hallucinations.
ANS: C
Uncoordinated writing or drawing may indicate peripheral neuropathy, dementia, parietal lobe
damage, or a cerebellar lesion.
