NUR 170 Medical-Surgical Nursing | Exam 2 Study Guide (2026) | Galen

NUR 170
EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE
Concepts Of Medical–Surgical Nursing

Galen College of Nursing

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Med-Surg Exam 2 Notes
Care of patients with nervous system disorders, sensory disorders, respiratory disorders
 Headache Disorders
o Migraine Headache
 Supraorbital or retroorbital
 Lasts 4-72 hours
 Pain worsens with movement
 S/S: N/V, photophobia, tingly scalp, 20% of cases have aura
 POUND
 P  pulsatile quality
 O  one day duration
 U  unilateral location
 N  nausea/vomiting
 D  disabling intensity
 Pathophysiology
 Vascular Theory
o Vasodilation in the brain
o Medications to treat cause vasoconstriction (ex. Triptans,
caffeine)
o May be caused by irritation to Cranial Nerve V (Trigeminal)
 Prevalence
o May be seen in children and adults
o More common among women or young boys
 History
o May be caused by triggers (smells, dehydration, artificial
sweeteners, tyramine or MSG rich foods)
o Tyramine  found in alcohol, aged meats and cheeses,
fermented foods, overripe fruit
 Interventions
o Pain management, symptom management (antiemetic,
fluid bolus), shut off lights, cool, quiet environment
 Medications
o Abortive  taken after onset
 NSAIDS, triptans, ergotamine drugs, CRGB
inhibitors
 CGRP inihibtors (ubrogepant)
 Inhibit a protein associated with migraine
pain


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Triptans (sumatriptan)  cause vasoconstriction

and raise serotonin levels
 Cannot be used for pts with hx of CV
disease, uncontrolled HTN, history of CVA,
or if taking other serotonergic drugs (SSRIs,
SNRIs, St. John’s Wort)
o Prophylaxis  taken daily for prevention
 Anticonvulsants  carbamazepine, topiramate,
gabapentin
 Tricyclic Antidepressants  amitriptyline,
nortriptyline
 CGRP inhibitors
 Beta Blocker  propanolol

o Tension Headache
 Feels like squeezing or pressure in a band around the head
 Can last up to a week
o Cluster Headache
 Stabbing pain through the eye
 Sx like sweating or pain will only happen on affected side
 Can last a few minutes to a few hours
 Seizure Disorders
o Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain
o Status Epilepticus  multiple seizures back-to-back
 #1 cause is nonadherence to antiseizure medication
 ABGs, IVP lorazepam, intubation/mechanical ventilation
o Epilepsy  chronic condition of recurrent seizures
 Assessment
 Inquire about frequency, seizure duration/activity, family history
 Risk Factors
 VITAMINS
o V  Vascular (ex. History of CVA/HTN increases risk)
o I  Infection or inherited condition
o T  Trauma (hx of head injury)
o A  Alzheimer’s/Autoimmune
o M  Metabolic derangements (electrolyte imbalances,
hypermagnesemia, hypo/hypernatremia, low BG)
o I  Idiopathic (unknown cause)/ingestion (alcohol &
drugs)
o N  Neoplasm (brain malignancy)

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