NEUROLOGICAL ASSESSMENT EVALUATION 2026
EXAMS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔When testing orientation, patients should be oriented to what? - ✔✔person, place,
time and situation
✔✔What are you testing when doing a neurological recheck exam? (4) - ✔✔level of
consciousness, motor function, pupillary response, vital signs
✔✔What should you assess about level of consciousness? (4) - ✔✔arousability,
accuracy, verbal response, fluency of speech (should be fully awake, eyes open and
following commands)
✔✔During the neurologic recheck what are you assessing about motor function? -
✔✔voluntary movement, raise eyebrows, from face, bare teeth and upper arm and
lower extremity strength
✔✔In regards to pupillary response you have to say whether it is ________ or not -
✔✔brisk
✔✔What does the Glasgow coma scale help us define? - ✔✔the patient's level of
consciousness
, ✔✔What is the total (or greatest score) you can receive on the Glasgow Coma Scale? -
✔✔15 (meaning normal)
✔✔A score of ______ of less on the Glasgow coma scale indicates a coma? - ✔✔7
✔✔A patient is admitted to the intensive care unit after a diving accident that injured the
spine. The nurse is planning the patient's care, which nursing diagnosis is the most
important?
A. Impaired physical mobility
B. Ineffective breathing pattern
C. Disturbed sensory perception (tactile)
D. Self-care deficient: Dressing/grooming - ✔✔B. Ineffective breathing pattern
✔✔The nurse is doing a neurological exam on a patient with multiple injuries sustained
after a care accident and was also trapped inside a car for hours. The patient is
responding to pain with decerebrate posturing. This finding indicates damage to which
part of the brain?
A. Diencephalon
B. Medulla
C. Midbrain
D. Cortex - ✔✔C. Midbrain
✔✔What function are the medulla and pons involved in? - ✔✔breathing
✔✔What are some abnormal postures? - ✔✔Decorticate rigidity
Decerebrate rigidity
Flaccid quadriplegia
Opisthotonos
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Upper extremities—flexion of arm, wrist, and fingers;
adduction of arm (i.e., tight against thorax). Lower extremities—extension, internal
rotation, plantar flexion. This indicates hemispheric lesion of cerebral cortex. -
✔✔decorticate rigidity
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Upper extremities stiffly extended, adducted; internal
rotation, palms pronated. Lower extremities stiffly extended; plantar flexion; teeth
clenched; hyperextended back. More ominous than decorticate rigidity; indicates lesion
in brainstem at midbrain or upper pons. - ✔✔decerebrate rigidity
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Complete loss of muscle tone and paralysis of all
four extremities, indicating completely nonfunctional brainstem. - ✔✔flaccid quadriplegia
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Prolonged arching of back, with head and heels bent
backward. This indicates meningeal irritation. - ✔✔opisthotonos
EXAMS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔When testing orientation, patients should be oriented to what? - ✔✔person, place,
time and situation
✔✔What are you testing when doing a neurological recheck exam? (4) - ✔✔level of
consciousness, motor function, pupillary response, vital signs
✔✔What should you assess about level of consciousness? (4) - ✔✔arousability,
accuracy, verbal response, fluency of speech (should be fully awake, eyes open and
following commands)
✔✔During the neurologic recheck what are you assessing about motor function? -
✔✔voluntary movement, raise eyebrows, from face, bare teeth and upper arm and
lower extremity strength
✔✔In regards to pupillary response you have to say whether it is ________ or not -
✔✔brisk
✔✔What does the Glasgow coma scale help us define? - ✔✔the patient's level of
consciousness
, ✔✔What is the total (or greatest score) you can receive on the Glasgow Coma Scale? -
✔✔15 (meaning normal)
✔✔A score of ______ of less on the Glasgow coma scale indicates a coma? - ✔✔7
✔✔A patient is admitted to the intensive care unit after a diving accident that injured the
spine. The nurse is planning the patient's care, which nursing diagnosis is the most
important?
A. Impaired physical mobility
B. Ineffective breathing pattern
C. Disturbed sensory perception (tactile)
D. Self-care deficient: Dressing/grooming - ✔✔B. Ineffective breathing pattern
✔✔The nurse is doing a neurological exam on a patient with multiple injuries sustained
after a care accident and was also trapped inside a car for hours. The patient is
responding to pain with decerebrate posturing. This finding indicates damage to which
part of the brain?
A. Diencephalon
B. Medulla
C. Midbrain
D. Cortex - ✔✔C. Midbrain
✔✔What function are the medulla and pons involved in? - ✔✔breathing
✔✔What are some abnormal postures? - ✔✔Decorticate rigidity
Decerebrate rigidity
Flaccid quadriplegia
Opisthotonos
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Upper extremities—flexion of arm, wrist, and fingers;
adduction of arm (i.e., tight against thorax). Lower extremities—extension, internal
rotation, plantar flexion. This indicates hemispheric lesion of cerebral cortex. -
✔✔decorticate rigidity
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Upper extremities stiffly extended, adducted; internal
rotation, palms pronated. Lower extremities stiffly extended; plantar flexion; teeth
clenched; hyperextended back. More ominous than decorticate rigidity; indicates lesion
in brainstem at midbrain or upper pons. - ✔✔decerebrate rigidity
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Complete loss of muscle tone and paralysis of all
four extremities, indicating completely nonfunctional brainstem. - ✔✔flaccid quadriplegia
✔✔What abnormal posture is this: Prolonged arching of back, with head and heels bent
backward. This indicates meningeal irritation. - ✔✔opisthotonos
