NUR170 T2 Final
Exam Study Guide:
Nervous System
Disorders and Care
Updated 2026
, lOMoAR cPSD| 64664050
NUR170 TEST 2 STUDY GUIDE
Care of a Client with a Nervous System Disorder
Headache Disorders
- May be symptomatic of an underlying disorder.
- Three main types of headaches that are commonly seen and affect quality of life:
children more common in boys; among adults more common in
women.
o Why are migraines a problem?
o History of patient with migraine: Otherwise, healthy, usually female in 30’s
o Individualized triggers (stress, smells, foods, hormones, menses)
meats
o Tyramine rich foodsAlcoh olagedcheesecaffeineartificialsweetness
- Manifestations aged
o Pain: Usually unilateral, supra/retro-orbital, pulsating. Worse with movement.
t
sensitivetolights sen s
o Accompanied by non-h/a symptoms: N/V, photophobia, phonophobia,
- Interventionso Aura: (20% of cases): ftp.gt feality of
headache
o Pain management o hrs
Symptom management O onedayduration 4 72 u
- Drug therapy – abortive and
preventative o unilaterallocation
APAP/Caffeine/Butalbital (Fioricet) o
NSAIDS
ß Naprosyn
N NN
D Disablingintensity
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NUR170 TEST 2 STUDY GUIDE
ß Verapamil
o CCBs and Beta-Blockers (preventative therapy) MiAbortivegraineathoneadacheset
prTxophylaxistapreventionkendailyfor
o Triptans and ergotamine's NSAIDs anticonvulsants
gypper
o Anti-convulsant (preventative therapy)ß Sumatriptan and Cafergot alternate
ctaarpbairamamazepteine
Tgif nasal gabapentin
ß Topiramate
o Botox injections (monthly) Tcas amnoritrypttryptianeiline
hibitogrogepant
o Magnesium inhibita propanol
p
- Complementary and alternative therapies carpinhibitors erenumab
o Acupuncture
o Yoga Triptans contraindication
o Stress reduction activities 2Duncontrolledhx of cudiseaseHen
a3 hifxtakssrioifnstrokgsfluoxeothDesvenlafaeerserotonergSictdJoruhn'sgswortserotsyndromeonin
SNR's tine xine
Epilepsy
- Chronic disorder with two or more seizures experienced by the client.
- Assessment
o Inquire about the seizure activity, frequency, precipitating factors, aura (pre-ictal phase). o Family
history
o Collateral medical conditions (hx stroke, HTN, TBI, drug/alcohol abuse)
- Seizure risk factors
Ao V: Vascular CATHTN
o I: Infection or Inherited conditions o T: Trauma A
o A: Alzheimer’s/Autoimmune
o M: Metabolic derangements cowglucosematNat o I: Idiopathic ingestion o N: Neoplasm
malignancybrain Ao S: pSychiatricIpseudosz
- Triggers:
o Sleep deprivation o Stress
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NUR170 TEST 2 STUDY GUIDE
o Alcohol/alcohol withdrawal
- Aura: Seizures often preceded by an aura; it is unique to that patient, not every patient has them. o Somatic: rising epigastric
sensation
o Hallucinations: Visual, gustatory, olfactorybittemetallr itastec
Halos, Zigzags, h/a, paresthesia’s, psychiatric phenomenon, deja-vuunpleasantodor
o
- Epilepsy Terminology o Partial (also called focal or local seizures): Occurs in a specific part of the brain. May be characterized
by
Facfareautomatism or tic. Ex: Jerk, reflex, lip smacking (complex) fewsecs ß 1) Simple: Client does not consciousness.
Localized jerking/movement. Strange sensations. Autonomic Fullyawarewhileit symptoms. happening ß
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8psim53pzs ß 2) Complex: Involves altered LOC; may or may not have total loss of
consciousness. Automatisms. Patient impaired
awareness may wander at start or have amnesia after. Most common among older adults and difficult to diagnose bc
caboutamin symptoms appear similar to those of dementia, psychosis, or neurobehavioral disorder, esp post-ictal. ß
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAffjRI3KTs
o Generalized: Affects brain as a whole, bilateral seizure; we differentiate them based on how they appear while observing
them.
ß Absence (petit mal): Generalized seizure involving sudden, brief loss of consciousness. Usually diagnosed in
children. Appears as if they are staring off into space. Lasts seconds.
ß Tonic-clonic: “Grand mal.” Stereotypical body convulsions. Lasts minutes, involves muscle rigidity and
convulsions. Tonic=stiffening, Clonic=jerking https://youtu.be/Nds2U4CzvC4
ß Myoclonic: Brief muscle jerks, lasts seconds ß
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzBBezFqVMo
- Epilepsy Terminology (Generalized) o Atonic (akinetic) Seizure (drop seizure”): Involves brief loss of tone. May be confused with
fainting.
- Acute Seizure Management o History (if reported) o Look for underlying cause! o Observation and documentation: Record
time sz began and ended.
ßDuration
ßTypes of
movements
ßOngoing
seizure
observations
Downloaded by Weykey Pinn ()
Exam Study Guide:
Nervous System
Disorders and Care
Updated 2026
, lOMoAR cPSD| 64664050
NUR170 TEST 2 STUDY GUIDE
Care of a Client with a Nervous System Disorder
Headache Disorders
- May be symptomatic of an underlying disorder.
- Three main types of headaches that are commonly seen and affect quality of life:
children more common in boys; among adults more common in
women.
o Why are migraines a problem?
o History of patient with migraine: Otherwise, healthy, usually female in 30’s
o Individualized triggers (stress, smells, foods, hormones, menses)
meats
o Tyramine rich foodsAlcoh olagedcheesecaffeineartificialsweetness
- Manifestations aged
o Pain: Usually unilateral, supra/retro-orbital, pulsating. Worse with movement.
t
sensitivetolights sen s
o Accompanied by non-h/a symptoms: N/V, photophobia, phonophobia,
- Interventionso Aura: (20% of cases): ftp.gt feality of
headache
o Pain management o hrs
Symptom management O onedayduration 4 72 u
- Drug therapy – abortive and
preventative o unilaterallocation
APAP/Caffeine/Butalbital (Fioricet) o
NSAIDS
ß Naprosyn
N NN
D Disablingintensity
Downloaded by Weykey Pinn ()
, lOMoAR cPSD| 64664050
NUR170 TEST 2 STUDY GUIDE
ß Verapamil
o CCBs and Beta-Blockers (preventative therapy) MiAbortivegraineathoneadacheset
prTxophylaxistapreventionkendailyfor
o Triptans and ergotamine's NSAIDs anticonvulsants
gypper
o Anti-convulsant (preventative therapy)ß Sumatriptan and Cafergot alternate
ctaarpbairamamazepteine
Tgif nasal gabapentin
ß Topiramate
o Botox injections (monthly) Tcas amnoritrypttryptianeiline
hibitogrogepant
o Magnesium inhibita propanol
p
- Complementary and alternative therapies carpinhibitors erenumab
o Acupuncture
o Yoga Triptans contraindication
o Stress reduction activities 2Duncontrolledhx of cudiseaseHen
a3 hifxtakssrioifnstrokgsfluoxeothDesvenlafaeerserotonergSictdJoruhn'sgswortserotsyndromeonin
SNR's tine xine
Epilepsy
- Chronic disorder with two or more seizures experienced by the client.
- Assessment
o Inquire about the seizure activity, frequency, precipitating factors, aura (pre-ictal phase). o Family
history
o Collateral medical conditions (hx stroke, HTN, TBI, drug/alcohol abuse)
- Seizure risk factors
Ao V: Vascular CATHTN
o I: Infection or Inherited conditions o T: Trauma A
o A: Alzheimer’s/Autoimmune
o M: Metabolic derangements cowglucosematNat o I: Idiopathic ingestion o N: Neoplasm
malignancybrain Ao S: pSychiatricIpseudosz
- Triggers:
o Sleep deprivation o Stress
Downloaded by Weykey Pinn ()
, lOMoAR cPSD| 64664050
NUR170 TEST 2 STUDY GUIDE
o Alcohol/alcohol withdrawal
- Aura: Seizures often preceded by an aura; it is unique to that patient, not every patient has them. o Somatic: rising epigastric
sensation
o Hallucinations: Visual, gustatory, olfactorybittemetallr itastec
Halos, Zigzags, h/a, paresthesia’s, psychiatric phenomenon, deja-vuunpleasantodor
o
- Epilepsy Terminology o Partial (also called focal or local seizures): Occurs in a specific part of the brain. May be characterized
by
Facfareautomatism or tic. Ex: Jerk, reflex, lip smacking (complex) fewsecs ß 1) Simple: Client does not consciousness.
Localized jerking/movement. Strange sensations. Autonomic Fullyawarewhileit symptoms. happening ß
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8psim53pzs ß 2) Complex: Involves altered LOC; may or may not have total loss of
consciousness. Automatisms. Patient impaired
awareness may wander at start or have amnesia after. Most common among older adults and difficult to diagnose bc
caboutamin symptoms appear similar to those of dementia, psychosis, or neurobehavioral disorder, esp post-ictal. ß
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAffjRI3KTs
o Generalized: Affects brain as a whole, bilateral seizure; we differentiate them based on how they appear while observing
them.
ß Absence (petit mal): Generalized seizure involving sudden, brief loss of consciousness. Usually diagnosed in
children. Appears as if they are staring off into space. Lasts seconds.
ß Tonic-clonic: “Grand mal.” Stereotypical body convulsions. Lasts minutes, involves muscle rigidity and
convulsions. Tonic=stiffening, Clonic=jerking https://youtu.be/Nds2U4CzvC4
ß Myoclonic: Brief muscle jerks, lasts seconds ß
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzBBezFqVMo
- Epilepsy Terminology (Generalized) o Atonic (akinetic) Seizure (drop seizure”): Involves brief loss of tone. May be confused with
fainting.
- Acute Seizure Management o History (if reported) o Look for underlying cause! o Observation and documentation: Record
time sz began and ended.
ßDuration
ßTypes of
movements
ßOngoing
seizure
observations
Downloaded by Weykey Pinn ()
