NSG3160 Exam 2 Ultimate Review:
250 Practice Questions with
Rationales (2026/2027)
## Section 1: Neurological Assessment (Questions 1-50)
### Question 1
**The nurse just received report on the neurological unit. Which of the
following findings would be of most concern?**
A) Patient with chronic dementia A&Ox1
B) Patient with a head injury who does not remember what was
happening before or during the injury
C) Patient reporting headache, denies any injury, no external
abnormalities noted
D) Patient reporting generalized weakness
**Answer: B**
**Rationale:** A patient with a head injury who cannot remember
events before or during the injury is experiencing retrograde amnesia,
,which is concerning and indicates potential neurological compromise.
While dementia (A) is chronic, and headache with no injury (C) or
generalized weakness (D) are concerning, the acute head injury with
memory loss represents an acute change that requires immediate
attention .
---
### Question 2
**Patient reports having a head injury while out with friends and
reporting ETOH intake. Which of the following statements would
concern you the most?**
A) "I was being goofy and tripped."
B) "My legs feel unsteady."
C) "I am having trouble focusing."
D) "It is hard to swallow when taking a drink."
**Answer: D**
**Rationale:** Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is a priority finding as
it indicates potential brainstem involvement or cranial nerve
dysfunction, which can compromise the airway (ABCs). This is more
concerning than unsteady gait, trouble focusing, or the mechanism of
injury .
,---
### Question 3
**Which of the following statements made by the student nurse
requires further education regarding cranial nerve assessment?**
A) "One method to assess cranial nerve V would be to have the person
puff their cheeks. Then press on their cheeks to ensure the air escapes
equally bilaterally."
B) "To assess the acoustic, or vestibulocochlear, nerve would be to
administer the whisper test. An expected finding is for the patient to
correctly repeat at least four of the six phrases."
C) "When assessing the pupil, if the patient has an increased ICP there
will be a sudden, unilateral, dilated, and nonreactive change in the
pupils."
D) "To assess cranial nerve XII, ask the patient to protrude their tongue,
ensuring no tremors or wasting are present, and that the tongue is
midline."
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Option C is incorrect because increased intracranial
pressure (ICP) typically causes bilateral, not unilateral, pupillary
changes. A sudden, unilateral, dilated, and nonreactive pupil is
, characteristic of cranial nerve III (oculomotor nerve) compression, such
as from an expanding intracranial lesion. The other statements
correctly describe assessment techniques for cranial nerves V
(trigeminal), VIII (vestibulocochlear), and XII (hypoglossal) .
---
### Question 4
**While practicing the Romberg Test, which of the following
statements, if made by the student nurse, would show understanding
of this test?**
A) "An expected finding for this test is negative. If negative, the patient
will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
B) "An expected finding for this test is positive. If positive, the patient
will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
C) "An unexpected finding for this test is negative. If negative, the
patient will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
D) "An unexpected finding for this test is positive. If positive, the
patient will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
**Answer: A**
**Rationale:** A negative Romberg test is the expected finding,
meaning the patient can stand with feet together and eyes closed
250 Practice Questions with
Rationales (2026/2027)
## Section 1: Neurological Assessment (Questions 1-50)
### Question 1
**The nurse just received report on the neurological unit. Which of the
following findings would be of most concern?**
A) Patient with chronic dementia A&Ox1
B) Patient with a head injury who does not remember what was
happening before or during the injury
C) Patient reporting headache, denies any injury, no external
abnormalities noted
D) Patient reporting generalized weakness
**Answer: B**
**Rationale:** A patient with a head injury who cannot remember
events before or during the injury is experiencing retrograde amnesia,
,which is concerning and indicates potential neurological compromise.
While dementia (A) is chronic, and headache with no injury (C) or
generalized weakness (D) are concerning, the acute head injury with
memory loss represents an acute change that requires immediate
attention .
---
### Question 2
**Patient reports having a head injury while out with friends and
reporting ETOH intake. Which of the following statements would
concern you the most?**
A) "I was being goofy and tripped."
B) "My legs feel unsteady."
C) "I am having trouble focusing."
D) "It is hard to swallow when taking a drink."
**Answer: D**
**Rationale:** Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is a priority finding as
it indicates potential brainstem involvement or cranial nerve
dysfunction, which can compromise the airway (ABCs). This is more
concerning than unsteady gait, trouble focusing, or the mechanism of
injury .
,---
### Question 3
**Which of the following statements made by the student nurse
requires further education regarding cranial nerve assessment?**
A) "One method to assess cranial nerve V would be to have the person
puff their cheeks. Then press on their cheeks to ensure the air escapes
equally bilaterally."
B) "To assess the acoustic, or vestibulocochlear, nerve would be to
administer the whisper test. An expected finding is for the patient to
correctly repeat at least four of the six phrases."
C) "When assessing the pupil, if the patient has an increased ICP there
will be a sudden, unilateral, dilated, and nonreactive change in the
pupils."
D) "To assess cranial nerve XII, ask the patient to protrude their tongue,
ensuring no tremors or wasting are present, and that the tongue is
midline."
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Option C is incorrect because increased intracranial
pressure (ICP) typically causes bilateral, not unilateral, pupillary
changes. A sudden, unilateral, dilated, and nonreactive pupil is
, characteristic of cranial nerve III (oculomotor nerve) compression, such
as from an expanding intracranial lesion. The other statements
correctly describe assessment techniques for cranial nerves V
(trigeminal), VIII (vestibulocochlear), and XII (hypoglossal) .
---
### Question 4
**While practicing the Romberg Test, which of the following
statements, if made by the student nurse, would show understanding
of this test?**
A) "An expected finding for this test is negative. If negative, the patient
will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
B) "An expected finding for this test is positive. If positive, the patient
will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
C) "An unexpected finding for this test is negative. If negative, the
patient will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
D) "An unexpected finding for this test is positive. If positive, the
patient will not sway, or become unbalanced and fall."
**Answer: A**
**Rationale:** A negative Romberg test is the expected finding,
meaning the patient can stand with feet together and eyes closed
