NIH Stroke Scale | Comprehensive Stroke
Assessment Study Guide & Practice Questions
with Verified Answers
2026–2027
, How many items on the NIH stroke scale? 11
NIH Stroke scale is an 11-item clinical evaluation instrument widely used in clinical trials and practice to
assess neurologic outcome and degree of recovery from stroke.
NIH Stroke Scale is used to quantify the effects of acute levels of:
cerebral ischemia on levels of ... (7 items) consciousness
vision
motor function (facial and extremities)
cerebellar function
sensation
language
extinction or inattention
NIH SS is used to measure patient's status after a stroke treatment
and to assess the outcome after
Should the patient be coached? Should you go back and NO
rethink a particular assessment?
Having what when using NIH scale is important? reference materials
DO NOT RATE what you think the patient wants to do or rate only what they actually do
what you think they can do, RATE ONLY
use patient"s first response? YES - DO NOT USE SUMMARY OF RESPONSES
re ataxia score 1) 0
1-if real weak, assume ataxia score is... 2) ataxia
2-if they can hold leg or arm up w/ minimal drift but are all 3) 1 or 2
over place when trying finger to nose test, that's probably... 4) 0
3) Important to know if ataxia is present or not and if
present in _____ or _______ limbs
4) if patient very weak or paralyzed, the ataxia score is...
You should only score loss of sensation if you can really that they have loss of sensation
demonstrate...
if patient has sensory loss from neuropathy, do you count no, but you do if there's loss on top of the neuropathy
thatt?
aphasia is difficult because it can take a while to go mild, mod, severe
through the battery and it can be subjective as to whether
it is one of which classification?
start to recognise aphasia when you meet them and start what happened
talking and you don't get a history of...
Assessment Study Guide & Practice Questions
with Verified Answers
2026–2027
, How many items on the NIH stroke scale? 11
NIH Stroke scale is an 11-item clinical evaluation instrument widely used in clinical trials and practice to
assess neurologic outcome and degree of recovery from stroke.
NIH Stroke Scale is used to quantify the effects of acute levels of:
cerebral ischemia on levels of ... (7 items) consciousness
vision
motor function (facial and extremities)
cerebellar function
sensation
language
extinction or inattention
NIH SS is used to measure patient's status after a stroke treatment
and to assess the outcome after
Should the patient be coached? Should you go back and NO
rethink a particular assessment?
Having what when using NIH scale is important? reference materials
DO NOT RATE what you think the patient wants to do or rate only what they actually do
what you think they can do, RATE ONLY
use patient"s first response? YES - DO NOT USE SUMMARY OF RESPONSES
re ataxia score 1) 0
1-if real weak, assume ataxia score is... 2) ataxia
2-if they can hold leg or arm up w/ minimal drift but are all 3) 1 or 2
over place when trying finger to nose test, that's probably... 4) 0
3) Important to know if ataxia is present or not and if
present in _____ or _______ limbs
4) if patient very weak or paralyzed, the ataxia score is...
You should only score loss of sensation if you can really that they have loss of sensation
demonstrate...
if patient has sensory loss from neuropathy, do you count no, but you do if there's loss on top of the neuropathy
thatt?
aphasia is difficult because it can take a while to go mild, mod, severe
through the battery and it can be subjective as to whether
it is one of which classification?
start to recognise aphasia when you meet them and start what happened
talking and you don't get a history of...
