1. What is the purpose of the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS)?
a) To measure the patient's blood pressure.
b) To evaluate the severity of a stroke.
c) To assess the patient's level of consciousness.
d) To monitor the patient's motor function.
Answer: b) To evaluate the severity of a stroke.
Rationale: The NIHSS is used to assess the severity of stroke
symptoms and helps clinicians track neurological impairment in
patients over time, aiding in determining the best course of treatment.
2. Which item in the NIHSS evaluates the level of consciousness?
a) Item 1a
b) Item 1b
c) Item 2
d) Item 3
Answer: a) Item 1a
Rationale: Item 1a assesses the patient's level of consciousness,
specifically their responsiveness to verbal stimuli.
3. What does item 2 (Best Gaze) assess in the NIHSS?
a) Ability to follow simple commands.
b) Control of eye movements.
c) Speech fluency.
d) Limb weakness.
Answer: b) Control of eye movements.
Rationale: Item 2 evaluates the patient’s ability to move their eyes
horizontally, which can indicate a lesion in the brainstem or higher
cortical regions.
,4. What does the NIHSS score of "0" indicate in the "Motor
Function" subcategory?
a) No motor impairment.
b) Severe motor impairment.
c) Total paralysis.
d) Mild motor impairment.
Answer: a) No motor impairment.
Rationale: A score of "0" in motor function indicates that the patient is
showing normal motor movement and has no detectable weakness or
paralysis in the limbs.
5. What is assessed in Item 4 of the NIHSS (Facial Palsy)?
a) The ability to move the arms.
b) The ability to speak clearly.
c) The symmetry of facial movements.
d) The ability to swallow.
Answer: c) The symmetry of facial movements.
Rationale: Item 4 assesses the presence of facial weakness or
asymmetry, which can result from a stroke affecting the facial nerve.
6. If a patient scores "1" on the NIHSS for "Sensory Loss" in the
arm, what does that indicate?
a) Normal sensation.
b) No response to stimuli.
c) Mild sensory loss.
d) Severe sensory loss.
Answer: c) Mild sensory loss.
Rationale: A score of "1" on sensory loss indicates that the patient has
mild sensory impairment that can be detected with light touch or
pinprick testing.
, 7. What does a score of "2" on the NIHSS for "Best Language"
indicate?
a) The patient is unable to speak at all.
b) The patient has mild word-finding difficulty.
c) The patient can speak fluently with some errors.
d) The patient can speak without difficulty.
Answer: c) The patient can speak fluently with some errors.
Rationale: A score of "2" reflects mild aphasia, where the patient
speaks fluently but with occasional errors or difficulty finding the right
words.
8. What type of response does the NIHSS test for in the "Best
Motor Response" section for the upper limb?
a) Normal movement
b) Grasping reflex
c) Spasticity
d) Involuntary muscle contractions
Answer: a) Normal movement
Rationale: In the "Best Motor Response" section, the patient's ability
to move the arm in response to a stimulus is assessed. A normal
response indicates no motor impairment.
9. How is the NIHSS score for "Aphasia" calculated?
a) By measuring speech fluency and comprehension.
b) By testing for visual disturbances.
c) By assessing muscle strength.
d) By evaluating memory function.
Answer: a) By measuring speech fluency and comprehension.
Rationale: Aphasia is assessed by evaluating the patient’s ability to
speak and comprehend language, as well as naming objects and
repeating words.
a) To measure the patient's blood pressure.
b) To evaluate the severity of a stroke.
c) To assess the patient's level of consciousness.
d) To monitor the patient's motor function.
Answer: b) To evaluate the severity of a stroke.
Rationale: The NIHSS is used to assess the severity of stroke
symptoms and helps clinicians track neurological impairment in
patients over time, aiding in determining the best course of treatment.
2. Which item in the NIHSS evaluates the level of consciousness?
a) Item 1a
b) Item 1b
c) Item 2
d) Item 3
Answer: a) Item 1a
Rationale: Item 1a assesses the patient's level of consciousness,
specifically their responsiveness to verbal stimuli.
3. What does item 2 (Best Gaze) assess in the NIHSS?
a) Ability to follow simple commands.
b) Control of eye movements.
c) Speech fluency.
d) Limb weakness.
Answer: b) Control of eye movements.
Rationale: Item 2 evaluates the patient’s ability to move their eyes
horizontally, which can indicate a lesion in the brainstem or higher
cortical regions.
,4. What does the NIHSS score of "0" indicate in the "Motor
Function" subcategory?
a) No motor impairment.
b) Severe motor impairment.
c) Total paralysis.
d) Mild motor impairment.
Answer: a) No motor impairment.
Rationale: A score of "0" in motor function indicates that the patient is
showing normal motor movement and has no detectable weakness or
paralysis in the limbs.
5. What is assessed in Item 4 of the NIHSS (Facial Palsy)?
a) The ability to move the arms.
b) The ability to speak clearly.
c) The symmetry of facial movements.
d) The ability to swallow.
Answer: c) The symmetry of facial movements.
Rationale: Item 4 assesses the presence of facial weakness or
asymmetry, which can result from a stroke affecting the facial nerve.
6. If a patient scores "1" on the NIHSS for "Sensory Loss" in the
arm, what does that indicate?
a) Normal sensation.
b) No response to stimuli.
c) Mild sensory loss.
d) Severe sensory loss.
Answer: c) Mild sensory loss.
Rationale: A score of "1" on sensory loss indicates that the patient has
mild sensory impairment that can be detected with light touch or
pinprick testing.
, 7. What does a score of "2" on the NIHSS for "Best Language"
indicate?
a) The patient is unable to speak at all.
b) The patient has mild word-finding difficulty.
c) The patient can speak fluently with some errors.
d) The patient can speak without difficulty.
Answer: c) The patient can speak fluently with some errors.
Rationale: A score of "2" reflects mild aphasia, where the patient
speaks fluently but with occasional errors or difficulty finding the right
words.
8. What type of response does the NIHSS test for in the "Best
Motor Response" section for the upper limb?
a) Normal movement
b) Grasping reflex
c) Spasticity
d) Involuntary muscle contractions
Answer: a) Normal movement
Rationale: In the "Best Motor Response" section, the patient's ability
to move the arm in response to a stimulus is assessed. A normal
response indicates no motor impairment.
9. How is the NIHSS score for "Aphasia" calculated?
a) By measuring speech fluency and comprehension.
b) By testing for visual disturbances.
c) By assessing muscle strength.
d) By evaluating memory function.
Answer: a) By measuring speech fluency and comprehension.
Rationale: Aphasia is assessed by evaluating the patient’s ability to
speak and comprehend language, as well as naming objects and
repeating words.
