GCU NSG 316 Exam 2 – Health Assessment
Study Guide & Practice Questions (2025/2026)
vertigo - -- answer --Condition of dizziness, "room spinning"
what is the bicep reflex - -- answer --when you support the person's forearm in
yours; place your thumb on biceps tendon and strike a blow on your thumb
Normal response is contraction of biceps muscle and flexion of forearm
what do DTR's indicate - -- answer --reveals the intactness of reflexes at specific
spinal levels and normal override on reflex of higher cortical levels
what is the sequence of doing a neurological assessment? - -- answer --Mental
status
Cranial nerves
Motor system
Sensory system
Reflexes
,Stereognosis test - -- answer --tests persons ability to recognize objects by feeling
their forms, sizes, and weights
Graphesthesia test - -- answer --ability to "read" a number by having it traced on
the skin
Two-point discrimination test - -- answer --ability to distinguish separation of two
simultaneous pin points on skin
Extinction test - -- answer --simultaneously touch both sides of body at same
point, normally both sensations are felt
point location test - -- answer --touch skin and withdraw stimulus promptly; ask
person to put finger where you touched
Tactile discrimination (fine touch) tests measure - -- answer --discrimination
ability of sensory cortex
peripheral neuropathy - -- answer --Loss of sensation involves all modalities; loss
most severe distally at feet and hands
Individual nerves or roots - -- answer --Decrease or loss of all sensory modalities;
corresponds to distribution of involved nerve
Spinal Cord Hemisection (Brown-Sequard Syndrome) - -- answer --Loss of pain
and temperature, contralateral side, loss of vibration and position discrimination
on ipsilateral side
,FAST - -- answer --Facial drooping
Arm weakness
Slurred speech
Time to call 911 even if symptoms go away
Subjective data questions for necrologic system - -- answer --Headache - unusual,
frequent, severe, when it started, how often it occurs, where is the headache, is it
associated with anything
Head injury - any head injury, what part of head was injured, did you have loss of
consciousness, for how long
Dizziness/Vertigo - do you feel a lightheaded, swimming sensation, when do you
notice this, how often, when does it occur, does the room spin or do you feel like
you are spinning
Seizures - had any concussions, when did they start, how marten do they occur,
where did the seizure occur, one sided or both
Tremors - any shakes or tremors in hands or face, when did it start, do they get
worse with anxiety, rest, intention, do they affect daily activities
Weakness - generalized or localized
Incoordination - problem with balance when walking, any falling, which way, do
your legs seem to give way, any clumsy movement
, numbness or tingling - pins and needles? when did it start, where do you feel it,
does it occur with activity
Swallowing - difficulty swallowing, liquids? solids? excessive saliva or drooling?
Difficulty speaking - difficult forming words or saying what you intend, when did
you first notice this, how long does it last
Environmental and occupational hazards - are you exposed to insecticides,
organic solvents or lead, are you taking any medications now
Illicit substances - how much alcohol do you drink, per week, per day, how about
mood-altering drugs like weed, coke, barbiturates and tranqs
Nystagmus - -- answer --involuntary, jerking movements of the eyes
CN III abnormalities - -- answer --dilated pupils
ptosis
eyes turn out and slightly
down
failure to move eye up, in, down
Study Guide & Practice Questions (2025/2026)
vertigo - -- answer --Condition of dizziness, "room spinning"
what is the bicep reflex - -- answer --when you support the person's forearm in
yours; place your thumb on biceps tendon and strike a blow on your thumb
Normal response is contraction of biceps muscle and flexion of forearm
what do DTR's indicate - -- answer --reveals the intactness of reflexes at specific
spinal levels and normal override on reflex of higher cortical levels
what is the sequence of doing a neurological assessment? - -- answer --Mental
status
Cranial nerves
Motor system
Sensory system
Reflexes
,Stereognosis test - -- answer --tests persons ability to recognize objects by feeling
their forms, sizes, and weights
Graphesthesia test - -- answer --ability to "read" a number by having it traced on
the skin
Two-point discrimination test - -- answer --ability to distinguish separation of two
simultaneous pin points on skin
Extinction test - -- answer --simultaneously touch both sides of body at same
point, normally both sensations are felt
point location test - -- answer --touch skin and withdraw stimulus promptly; ask
person to put finger where you touched
Tactile discrimination (fine touch) tests measure - -- answer --discrimination
ability of sensory cortex
peripheral neuropathy - -- answer --Loss of sensation involves all modalities; loss
most severe distally at feet and hands
Individual nerves or roots - -- answer --Decrease or loss of all sensory modalities;
corresponds to distribution of involved nerve
Spinal Cord Hemisection (Brown-Sequard Syndrome) - -- answer --Loss of pain
and temperature, contralateral side, loss of vibration and position discrimination
on ipsilateral side
,FAST - -- answer --Facial drooping
Arm weakness
Slurred speech
Time to call 911 even if symptoms go away
Subjective data questions for necrologic system - -- answer --Headache - unusual,
frequent, severe, when it started, how often it occurs, where is the headache, is it
associated with anything
Head injury - any head injury, what part of head was injured, did you have loss of
consciousness, for how long
Dizziness/Vertigo - do you feel a lightheaded, swimming sensation, when do you
notice this, how often, when does it occur, does the room spin or do you feel like
you are spinning
Seizures - had any concussions, when did they start, how marten do they occur,
where did the seizure occur, one sided or both
Tremors - any shakes or tremors in hands or face, when did it start, do they get
worse with anxiety, rest, intention, do they affect daily activities
Weakness - generalized or localized
Incoordination - problem with balance when walking, any falling, which way, do
your legs seem to give way, any clumsy movement
, numbness or tingling - pins and needles? when did it start, where do you feel it,
does it occur with activity
Swallowing - difficulty swallowing, liquids? solids? excessive saliva or drooling?
Difficulty speaking - difficult forming words or saying what you intend, when did
you first notice this, how long does it last
Environmental and occupational hazards - are you exposed to insecticides,
organic solvents or lead, are you taking any medications now
Illicit substances - how much alcohol do you drink, per week, per day, how about
mood-altering drugs like weed, coke, barbiturates and tranqs
Nystagmus - -- answer --involuntary, jerking movements of the eyes
CN III abnormalities - -- answer --dilated pupils
ptosis
eyes turn out and slightly
down
failure to move eye up, in, down
