NSC 114 EXAM #4 2026/2027 – COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & EXAM REVIEW
visual - correct answer ✔✔having to do with sight or seeing
auditory - correct answer ✔✔Having to do with the sense of hearing
olfactory - correct answer ✔✔relating to the sense of smell
tactile - correct answer ✔✔relating to the sense of touch
gustatory - correct answer ✔✔relating to the sense of taste
Kinesthetic - correct answer ✔✔refers to awareness of the position and movement of body parts
Stereognosis - correct answer ✔✔Ability to perceive and understand an object through touch by its size,
shape, and texture
visceral - correct answer ✔✔refers to any large organ of the body; internal organs
produce stimuli that make a person aware of them (full stomach)
sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔involves the conscious organization and translation of the data
or stimuli into meaningful information
Stimulus - correct answer ✔✔a signal to which an organism responds
agent or act that stimulates a nerve receptor
Receptor - correct answer ✔✔- a nerve cell acts as a receptor by converting the stimulus to a nerve
impulse
- most receptors are specific; sensitive to only one type of stimulus
- visual, auditory, touch
Impulse conduction - correct answer ✔✔the impulse travels along nerve pathways to the spinal cord or
directly to the brain
ex. auditory impulses travel to the organ of Corti in the nerve to the temporal lobe of the brain
Perception - correct answer ✔✔perception, or awareness and interpretation of stimuli, takes place in
the brain, where specialized brain cells interpret the nature and quality of the sensory stimuli.
the client's level of consciousness affects the perception of the stimuli
Arousal Mechanism - correct answer ✔✔- Brain must be alert to receive and interpret data/stimuli
- Mediated by the reticular activating system (RAS)
Reticular Activating System (RAS) - correct answer ✔✔a dense network of neurons found in the core of
the brain stem; it arouses the cortex and screens incoming information
,- two components
1. REA = reticular excitatory area; responsible for arousal and wakefulness
2. RIA = reticular inhibitory
States of Awareness - correct answer ✔✔- Full consciousness= alert; oriented to time, place, person,
understands verbal and written words
- Disoriented= Not oriented to time, place, or person
- Confused= Reduced awareness, easily bewildered; poor memory, misinterprets stimuli; impaired
judgement
- Somnolent= Extreme drowsiness but will respond to stimuli
- Semi-comatose= Can be aroused by extreme or repeated stimuli
- Coma= Will not respond to verbal stimuli
factors influencing sensory function - correct answer ✔✔•Developmental stage
•Culture - child in a big city; sudden change
•Level of stress
•Medications and illness
•Lifestyle
Clinical Manifestations of sensory deprivation - correct answer ✔✔- Excessive yawning, drowsiness, and
sleeping
• Decreased attention span, difficulty concentrating, and decreased problem solving
• Impaired memory; periodic disorientation, general confusion, or nocturnal confusion
• Preoccupation with somatic complaints, such as palpitations
• Hallucinations or delusions
• Crying, annoyance over small matters and depression
• Apathy and emotional liability
Sensory Alterations - correct answer ✔✔Sensory deficits
sensory deprivation
sensory overload
Clinical Manifestations of sensory overload and definition - correct answer ✔✔Generally occurs when a
person is unable to process or manage the amount or intensity of sensory stimuli
Complaints of fatigue, sleeplessness
Irritability, anxiety, and restlessness
Periodic or general disorientation
Reduced problem-solving ability and task performance
Increased muscle tension
Scattered attention and racing thoughts
sensory deficits - correct answer ✔✔impaired or absent functioning of one or more senses
, ex. blindness, deafness
sensory deprivation - correct answer ✔✔-impaired reception, perception or both
-usually can adapt if loss is gradual
-sudden loss is disorienting
-deficit can lead to both sensory deprivation and sensory overload
assessing sensory perception function - correct answer ✔✔- nursing history
- mental status examination
- physical examination
- identification of clients at risk
- client's environment
- social support network
clients at risk for sensory deprivation - correct answer ✔✔- non-stimulating or monotonous environment
- impaired vision or hearing
- mobility restrictions
- inability to process stimuli
- emotional disorders
- limited social contact
Clients at risk for sensory overload - correct answer ✔✔- pain or discomfort
- admission to an acute care facility
- monitoring in intensive care units
- invasive tubes
- decreased cognitive ability
NANDAs for sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔- acute confusion
- chronic confusion
- impaired memory
- risk for acute confusion
planning and outcome criteria for sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔- prevent injury
- maintain function of existing senses
- develop an effective communication mechanism
- prevent sensory overload or deprivation
- reduce social isolation
- perform ADLs independently and safely
Implementing for sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔- promote health sensory function
- early detection, screening
- approapriate sensory input
- visual impairment associated with greater difficulty in performing ADLs
- hearing impairment requires substituting visual cues to signal danger; allow more time for processing in
older adults
- impaired smell requires caution with an around chemicals, food
- impaired touch can lead to burns or pressure ulcers; test water with thermometer; change position
often
QUESTIONS & EXAM REVIEW
visual - correct answer ✔✔having to do with sight or seeing
auditory - correct answer ✔✔Having to do with the sense of hearing
olfactory - correct answer ✔✔relating to the sense of smell
tactile - correct answer ✔✔relating to the sense of touch
gustatory - correct answer ✔✔relating to the sense of taste
Kinesthetic - correct answer ✔✔refers to awareness of the position and movement of body parts
Stereognosis - correct answer ✔✔Ability to perceive and understand an object through touch by its size,
shape, and texture
visceral - correct answer ✔✔refers to any large organ of the body; internal organs
produce stimuli that make a person aware of them (full stomach)
sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔involves the conscious organization and translation of the data
or stimuli into meaningful information
Stimulus - correct answer ✔✔a signal to which an organism responds
agent or act that stimulates a nerve receptor
Receptor - correct answer ✔✔- a nerve cell acts as a receptor by converting the stimulus to a nerve
impulse
- most receptors are specific; sensitive to only one type of stimulus
- visual, auditory, touch
Impulse conduction - correct answer ✔✔the impulse travels along nerve pathways to the spinal cord or
directly to the brain
ex. auditory impulses travel to the organ of Corti in the nerve to the temporal lobe of the brain
Perception - correct answer ✔✔perception, or awareness and interpretation of stimuli, takes place in
the brain, where specialized brain cells interpret the nature and quality of the sensory stimuli.
the client's level of consciousness affects the perception of the stimuli
Arousal Mechanism - correct answer ✔✔- Brain must be alert to receive and interpret data/stimuli
- Mediated by the reticular activating system (RAS)
Reticular Activating System (RAS) - correct answer ✔✔a dense network of neurons found in the core of
the brain stem; it arouses the cortex and screens incoming information
,- two components
1. REA = reticular excitatory area; responsible for arousal and wakefulness
2. RIA = reticular inhibitory
States of Awareness - correct answer ✔✔- Full consciousness= alert; oriented to time, place, person,
understands verbal and written words
- Disoriented= Not oriented to time, place, or person
- Confused= Reduced awareness, easily bewildered; poor memory, misinterprets stimuli; impaired
judgement
- Somnolent= Extreme drowsiness but will respond to stimuli
- Semi-comatose= Can be aroused by extreme or repeated stimuli
- Coma= Will not respond to verbal stimuli
factors influencing sensory function - correct answer ✔✔•Developmental stage
•Culture - child in a big city; sudden change
•Level of stress
•Medications and illness
•Lifestyle
Clinical Manifestations of sensory deprivation - correct answer ✔✔- Excessive yawning, drowsiness, and
sleeping
• Decreased attention span, difficulty concentrating, and decreased problem solving
• Impaired memory; periodic disorientation, general confusion, or nocturnal confusion
• Preoccupation with somatic complaints, such as palpitations
• Hallucinations or delusions
• Crying, annoyance over small matters and depression
• Apathy and emotional liability
Sensory Alterations - correct answer ✔✔Sensory deficits
sensory deprivation
sensory overload
Clinical Manifestations of sensory overload and definition - correct answer ✔✔Generally occurs when a
person is unable to process or manage the amount or intensity of sensory stimuli
Complaints of fatigue, sleeplessness
Irritability, anxiety, and restlessness
Periodic or general disorientation
Reduced problem-solving ability and task performance
Increased muscle tension
Scattered attention and racing thoughts
sensory deficits - correct answer ✔✔impaired or absent functioning of one or more senses
, ex. blindness, deafness
sensory deprivation - correct answer ✔✔-impaired reception, perception or both
-usually can adapt if loss is gradual
-sudden loss is disorienting
-deficit can lead to both sensory deprivation and sensory overload
assessing sensory perception function - correct answer ✔✔- nursing history
- mental status examination
- physical examination
- identification of clients at risk
- client's environment
- social support network
clients at risk for sensory deprivation - correct answer ✔✔- non-stimulating or monotonous environment
- impaired vision or hearing
- mobility restrictions
- inability to process stimuli
- emotional disorders
- limited social contact
Clients at risk for sensory overload - correct answer ✔✔- pain or discomfort
- admission to an acute care facility
- monitoring in intensive care units
- invasive tubes
- decreased cognitive ability
NANDAs for sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔- acute confusion
- chronic confusion
- impaired memory
- risk for acute confusion
planning and outcome criteria for sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔- prevent injury
- maintain function of existing senses
- develop an effective communication mechanism
- prevent sensory overload or deprivation
- reduce social isolation
- perform ADLs independently and safely
Implementing for sensory perception - correct answer ✔✔- promote health sensory function
- early detection, screening
- approapriate sensory input
- visual impairment associated with greater difficulty in performing ADLs
- hearing impairment requires substituting visual cues to signal danger; allow more time for processing in
older adults
- impaired smell requires caution with an around chemicals, food
- impaired touch can lead to burns or pressure ulcers; test water with thermometer; change position
often
