NSG 1400 SENSORY & COGNITION EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027 | PRACTICE
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & REVIEW
1. Which area of the brain is involved if a patient is unable to distinguish pain from different areas of the
body?
a. Frontal lobes
b. Parietal lobes
c. Temporal lobes
d. Occipital lobes - ANS ✔✔ANS: B
The parietal lobes are responsible for receiving, analyzing, and responding to somatic sensory input from
different parts of the body. The frontal lobes of the cerebrum are the areas of the brain responsible for
voluntary motor function, short-term memory, goal-oriented behaviors, and eye movements. The
temporal lobes are concerned with auditory stimuli, as well as long-term memory, balance, taste, and
smell. The occipital lobes process visual information
Which patients should be monitored with the Mini Mental State Examination?
a. Patients with cognitive alterations
b. Patients exhibiting signs of depression
c. Patients showing loss of motor function
d. Patients complaining of auditory changes - ANS ✔✔ANS: A
The Mini Mental State Examination tests the patient's orientation, language ability, spatial orientation,
and attention as well as the ability to calculate and recall. These are all indicators of cognition.
3. What is an appropriate nursing intervention for a patient with expressive aphasia?
a. Direct questions to family members since the patient cannot speak.
b. Make factual statements rather than asking questions.
c. Stand in front of the patient and speak loudly.
d. Use questions with "yes" and "no" answers. - ANS ✔✔ANS: D
Patients with expressive aphasia are able to comprehend but cannot express themselves. Use of
questions with simple answers helps to involve them in care without increasing frustration. Patients
should be included in conversations when the ability to understand is present. Questions and statements
are directed to the patient. Speaking loudly will increase the patient's frustration since he/she can hear
and understand the spoken word.
Identify one concern for patients with peripheral neuropathy:
a. burns.
b. dizziness.
c. confusion.
d. visual deficits. - ANS ✔✔ANS: A
Patients with peripheral neuropathy suffer damage to peripheral nerves, altering the ability to feel
extremes of hot and cold. Dizziness can be related to central nervous system disorders or to problems
, with the inner ear. Confusion is a cognitive deficit. Visual deficits are related to problems with the eye,
blood vessels in the eye, or the optic nerve.
In a patient with gustatory alterations, which nursing intervention is appropriate?
a. Removal of cerumen
b. Dimming bright lights
c. Turning every 2 hours
d. Oral hygiene twice daily - ANS ✔✔ANS: D
Patients with gustatory alterations have problems with taste. Removal of cerumen improves conductive
hearing. Keeping the mouth clean and fresh has a positive impact on taste. Dimming bright lights helps
decrease sensory overload. Turning every 2 hours prevents pressure ulcers.
. Which family statement indicates understanding of teaching regarding presbycusis?
a. "I should change positions quickly to stabilize the inner ear."
b. "There are no precautions if I take motion sickness medications."
c. "I should play soft music to distribute vestibular sound."
d. "My family should speak clearly and distinctly." - ANS ✔✔NS: D
The patient with presbycusis has hearing loss and should be spoken to clearly and distinctly. Position
changes will not affect the hearing loss. Soft music will not be heard by patients with hearing loss and
has no advantages. Patients taking motion sickness medication should refrain from driving.
Which hospitalized patient is most likely to suffer from sensory deprivation?
a. An ICU patient on a ventilator
b. A bedridden patient with MRSA
c. An ambulatory postoperative patient
d. A patient admitted for diabetes management - ANS ✔✔ANS: B
The patient with MRSA would be in contact isolation. Immobility and isolation would prevent this patient
from a lot of outside interaction, possibly leading to sensory deprivation. An ICU patient is prone to
sensory overload. The ambulatory patient and diabetes patient have the potential to interact with the
environment.
The nurse determines that the patient's self-care abilities have declined. What is the nurse's next step?
a. Reevaluate the plan of care.
b. Assist the patient with more ADLs.
c. Assess the patient's sensory pathways.
d. Delegate more responsibility to assistive personnel. - ANS ✔✔ANS: A
The plan of care is reevaluated on an ongoing basis. Whenever a patient goal is not met, changes in the
plan of care may be necessary. Evaluation takes place before new interventions or delegation occur.
Which part of patient care of the cognitively impaired patient can be delegated to assistive personnel?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Assistance with hygiene and ambulation
b. Reorienting the patient to time and place
c. Assessment of cognition and mental status
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & REVIEW
1. Which area of the brain is involved if a patient is unable to distinguish pain from different areas of the
body?
a. Frontal lobes
b. Parietal lobes
c. Temporal lobes
d. Occipital lobes - ANS ✔✔ANS: B
The parietal lobes are responsible for receiving, analyzing, and responding to somatic sensory input from
different parts of the body. The frontal lobes of the cerebrum are the areas of the brain responsible for
voluntary motor function, short-term memory, goal-oriented behaviors, and eye movements. The
temporal lobes are concerned with auditory stimuli, as well as long-term memory, balance, taste, and
smell. The occipital lobes process visual information
Which patients should be monitored with the Mini Mental State Examination?
a. Patients with cognitive alterations
b. Patients exhibiting signs of depression
c. Patients showing loss of motor function
d. Patients complaining of auditory changes - ANS ✔✔ANS: A
The Mini Mental State Examination tests the patient's orientation, language ability, spatial orientation,
and attention as well as the ability to calculate and recall. These are all indicators of cognition.
3. What is an appropriate nursing intervention for a patient with expressive aphasia?
a. Direct questions to family members since the patient cannot speak.
b. Make factual statements rather than asking questions.
c. Stand in front of the patient and speak loudly.
d. Use questions with "yes" and "no" answers. - ANS ✔✔ANS: D
Patients with expressive aphasia are able to comprehend but cannot express themselves. Use of
questions with simple answers helps to involve them in care without increasing frustration. Patients
should be included in conversations when the ability to understand is present. Questions and statements
are directed to the patient. Speaking loudly will increase the patient's frustration since he/she can hear
and understand the spoken word.
Identify one concern for patients with peripheral neuropathy:
a. burns.
b. dizziness.
c. confusion.
d. visual deficits. - ANS ✔✔ANS: A
Patients with peripheral neuropathy suffer damage to peripheral nerves, altering the ability to feel
extremes of hot and cold. Dizziness can be related to central nervous system disorders or to problems
, with the inner ear. Confusion is a cognitive deficit. Visual deficits are related to problems with the eye,
blood vessels in the eye, or the optic nerve.
In a patient with gustatory alterations, which nursing intervention is appropriate?
a. Removal of cerumen
b. Dimming bright lights
c. Turning every 2 hours
d. Oral hygiene twice daily - ANS ✔✔ANS: D
Patients with gustatory alterations have problems with taste. Removal of cerumen improves conductive
hearing. Keeping the mouth clean and fresh has a positive impact on taste. Dimming bright lights helps
decrease sensory overload. Turning every 2 hours prevents pressure ulcers.
. Which family statement indicates understanding of teaching regarding presbycusis?
a. "I should change positions quickly to stabilize the inner ear."
b. "There are no precautions if I take motion sickness medications."
c. "I should play soft music to distribute vestibular sound."
d. "My family should speak clearly and distinctly." - ANS ✔✔NS: D
The patient with presbycusis has hearing loss and should be spoken to clearly and distinctly. Position
changes will not affect the hearing loss. Soft music will not be heard by patients with hearing loss and
has no advantages. Patients taking motion sickness medication should refrain from driving.
Which hospitalized patient is most likely to suffer from sensory deprivation?
a. An ICU patient on a ventilator
b. A bedridden patient with MRSA
c. An ambulatory postoperative patient
d. A patient admitted for diabetes management - ANS ✔✔ANS: B
The patient with MRSA would be in contact isolation. Immobility and isolation would prevent this patient
from a lot of outside interaction, possibly leading to sensory deprivation. An ICU patient is prone to
sensory overload. The ambulatory patient and diabetes patient have the potential to interact with the
environment.
The nurse determines that the patient's self-care abilities have declined. What is the nurse's next step?
a. Reevaluate the plan of care.
b. Assist the patient with more ADLs.
c. Assess the patient's sensory pathways.
d. Delegate more responsibility to assistive personnel. - ANS ✔✔ANS: A
The plan of care is reevaluated on an ongoing basis. Whenever a patient goal is not met, changes in the
plan of care may be necessary. Evaluation takes place before new interventions or delegation occur.
Which part of patient care of the cognitively impaired patient can be delegated to assistive personnel?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Assistance with hygiene and ambulation
b. Reorienting the patient to time and place
c. Assessment of cognition and mental status
