NUR 170 EXAM 2 GALEN ADN | CONCEPTS OF MEDICAL-SURGICAL
NURSING STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026/2027
Migraines - pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔Constriction/dilation of the cerebral arteries in the brain. The
cause of this is not fully known.
Migraines - Risk Factors - ANS ✔✔Food triggers (chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, MSG),
Stress, smells, age, hormones, more common in women
Migraines - S/S - ANS ✔✔Pain, photophobia, phonophobia, aura, scalp sensitivity
Migraines - Treatment - ANS ✔✔medication, avoiding triggers, adjuvant therapies
Migraines - Nursing Interventions - ANS ✔✔dark, quiet room, cold therapy, essential oils, adjuvant
therapies
Migraines - Medications - ANS ✔✔preventative: anti-convulsants, calcium channel blockers, beta-
blockers
abortive: caffeine, NSAIDS, Triptans
Botox injections, magnesium
Migraines - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔Take medication as soon as you feel a migraine coming on, take
preventative meds daily.
Epilepsy/Seizures - Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔abnormal electrical activity in the brain
Epilepsy/Seizures - Risk Factors/Causes - ANS ✔✔alcohol/drug abuse, hx of stroke, family hx, traumatic
brain injury, sleep deprivation, stress, infection, hypertension
Epilepsy/Seizures - Diagnostics - ANS ✔✔EEG, CT, MRI, SPECT, PET
Epilepsy/Seizures - Seizure management DURING - ANS ✔✔Record time it began and ended, types of
movements, place pt on floor, continually assess ABC's, maintain pt safety, loosen restrictive clothing,
Benzos break the seizure
Epilepsy/Seizures - Seizure management AFTER - ANS ✔✔Involves reorientation, assess ABC's, side-lying
position, suction secretions, no restraints, loosen restrictive clothing, ensure patient safety, pad bed rails,
administer O2, patent IV
Epilepsy/Seizures - Treatment - ANS ✔✔meds: pams, benzos, phenytoin
Epilepsy/Seziures - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔6months seizure free before driving, medication
compliance, follow up labs/neuro appts, medical alert bracelt, decreasing triggers
, Epilepsy/Seizures - S/S - ANS ✔✔Loss of consciousness, involuntary twitching/jerking/stiffening of the
body
Multiple Sclerosis - Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔a progressive disease with no cure that affects all body
systems. it is an autoimmune issue that affects the myelin sheath along the brain, optic nerve, and spinal
cord (both sensory and motor is affected)
Multiple Sclerosis - S/S (SENSORY) - ANS ✔✔tinnitus, blurred vision, diplopia, decreased visual acuity,
vision loss, hyperalgesia, vertigo, hearing loss, paresthesia, facial pain, decreased temp, memory loss
Multiple Sclerosis - S/S (MOTOR) - ANS ✔✔motor weakness, fatigue, stiffness of extremities, tremors,
nystagmus, unsteady gait, cognitive impairment, decreased bowel/bladder function
Multiple Sclerosis - Diagnostics - ANS ✔✔MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis (hard to diagnose in the
beginning because symptoms are so vague)
Multiple Sclerosis - Treatment - ANS ✔✔plasmapheresis, methotrexate, NSAIDS, corticosteroids,
cholinergic, anticholinergics, interferons
Multiple Sclerosis - Risk Factors - ANS ✔✔Infection, Stress (physical injury, emotional stress, pregnancy,
fatigue), autoimmune disease, ages 20-40, commonly in adult white women
Multiple Sclerosis - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔decrease stressors when possible, prevent/treat/
recognize s/s of infections
Multiple Sclerosis - Nursing Interventions - ANS ✔✔Interdisciplinary care- OT, PT, Speech, Vision/Hearing
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔Damage to the peripheral nerves
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - S/S - ANS ✔✔Weakness, paralysis, burning sensations, pain, skin/nail color
changes, edema, impaired mobility, decreased sensory perception
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - Diagnostics - ANS ✔✔CT/X-ray
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - Treatment - ANS ✔✔Corticosteroids, analgesics, antibiotics
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔follow therapies as prescribed, inspect skin daily,
application of immobility devices, s/s of complications
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - complications - ANS ✔✔permanent nerve damage, amputation, infection
Parkinson's Disease - Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔progressive and chronic disease with no cure. Lack of
dopamine in the brain--affecting all body systems including mood, personality, and mobility
Parkinson's Disease - S/S - ANS ✔✔Bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, postural instability, shuffled gait,
pill rolling, masked faces, dementia, nighttime drooling, reduction of cognition
Parkinson's Disease - Risk Factors - ANS ✔✔
NURSING STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026/2027
Migraines - pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔Constriction/dilation of the cerebral arteries in the brain. The
cause of this is not fully known.
Migraines - Risk Factors - ANS ✔✔Food triggers (chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, MSG),
Stress, smells, age, hormones, more common in women
Migraines - S/S - ANS ✔✔Pain, photophobia, phonophobia, aura, scalp sensitivity
Migraines - Treatment - ANS ✔✔medication, avoiding triggers, adjuvant therapies
Migraines - Nursing Interventions - ANS ✔✔dark, quiet room, cold therapy, essential oils, adjuvant
therapies
Migraines - Medications - ANS ✔✔preventative: anti-convulsants, calcium channel blockers, beta-
blockers
abortive: caffeine, NSAIDS, Triptans
Botox injections, magnesium
Migraines - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔Take medication as soon as you feel a migraine coming on, take
preventative meds daily.
Epilepsy/Seizures - Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔abnormal electrical activity in the brain
Epilepsy/Seizures - Risk Factors/Causes - ANS ✔✔alcohol/drug abuse, hx of stroke, family hx, traumatic
brain injury, sleep deprivation, stress, infection, hypertension
Epilepsy/Seizures - Diagnostics - ANS ✔✔EEG, CT, MRI, SPECT, PET
Epilepsy/Seizures - Seizure management DURING - ANS ✔✔Record time it began and ended, types of
movements, place pt on floor, continually assess ABC's, maintain pt safety, loosen restrictive clothing,
Benzos break the seizure
Epilepsy/Seizures - Seizure management AFTER - ANS ✔✔Involves reorientation, assess ABC's, side-lying
position, suction secretions, no restraints, loosen restrictive clothing, ensure patient safety, pad bed rails,
administer O2, patent IV
Epilepsy/Seizures - Treatment - ANS ✔✔meds: pams, benzos, phenytoin
Epilepsy/Seziures - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔6months seizure free before driving, medication
compliance, follow up labs/neuro appts, medical alert bracelt, decreasing triggers
, Epilepsy/Seizures - S/S - ANS ✔✔Loss of consciousness, involuntary twitching/jerking/stiffening of the
body
Multiple Sclerosis - Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔a progressive disease with no cure that affects all body
systems. it is an autoimmune issue that affects the myelin sheath along the brain, optic nerve, and spinal
cord (both sensory and motor is affected)
Multiple Sclerosis - S/S (SENSORY) - ANS ✔✔tinnitus, blurred vision, diplopia, decreased visual acuity,
vision loss, hyperalgesia, vertigo, hearing loss, paresthesia, facial pain, decreased temp, memory loss
Multiple Sclerosis - S/S (MOTOR) - ANS ✔✔motor weakness, fatigue, stiffness of extremities, tremors,
nystagmus, unsteady gait, cognitive impairment, decreased bowel/bladder function
Multiple Sclerosis - Diagnostics - ANS ✔✔MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis (hard to diagnose in the
beginning because symptoms are so vague)
Multiple Sclerosis - Treatment - ANS ✔✔plasmapheresis, methotrexate, NSAIDS, corticosteroids,
cholinergic, anticholinergics, interferons
Multiple Sclerosis - Risk Factors - ANS ✔✔Infection, Stress (physical injury, emotional stress, pregnancy,
fatigue), autoimmune disease, ages 20-40, commonly in adult white women
Multiple Sclerosis - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔decrease stressors when possible, prevent/treat/
recognize s/s of infections
Multiple Sclerosis - Nursing Interventions - ANS ✔✔Interdisciplinary care- OT, PT, Speech, Vision/Hearing
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔Damage to the peripheral nerves
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - S/S - ANS ✔✔Weakness, paralysis, burning sensations, pain, skin/nail color
changes, edema, impaired mobility, decreased sensory perception
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - Diagnostics - ANS ✔✔CT/X-ray
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - Treatment - ANS ✔✔Corticosteroids, analgesics, antibiotics
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - Patient Teaching - ANS ✔✔follow therapies as prescribed, inspect skin daily,
application of immobility devices, s/s of complications
Peripheral Nerve Trauma - complications - ANS ✔✔permanent nerve damage, amputation, infection
Parkinson's Disease - Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔progressive and chronic disease with no cure. Lack of
dopamine in the brain--affecting all body systems including mood, personality, and mobility
Parkinson's Disease - S/S - ANS ✔✔Bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, postural instability, shuffled gait,
pill rolling, masked faces, dementia, nighttime drooling, reduction of cognition
Parkinson's Disease - Risk Factors - ANS ✔✔
