Neurological Assessment: Key Concepts for Nursing Students
GUARANTEED PASS !!
What are the two main components of the nervous system? - (ANSWER)Central Nervous System
(CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
What does the Central Nervous System consist of? - (ANSWER)The brain and spinal cord
What are the two branches of the Peripheral Nervous System? - (ANSWER)Somatic and
autonomic nervous systems
What is the function of the somatic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Carries CNS impulses for
conscious or voluntary activities
What is the role of the autonomic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Carries CNS impulses to smooth,
involuntary muscles and mediates unconscious activities
What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems
What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Activates the 'fight or flight'
response during stress
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do? - (ANSWER)Restores and maintains normal
body functions, known as 'rest and digest'
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale used for? - (ANSWER)To assess overall level of consciousness
(LOC)
What does the NIHSS tool assess? - (ANSWER)It assesses for stroke and level of disability
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, What is the purpose of the Mini-Mental State Exam? - (ANSWER)To assess for dementia versus
delirium
What is a common symptom to inquire about during a neurological health history? -
(ANSWER)Loss of sensation, dizziness, headaches, seizures, confusion
What does a positive Romberg test indicate? - (ANSWER)Imbalance or swaying, suggestive of
cerebellar dysfunction
What are choreiform movements? - (ANSWER)Involuntary, jerky, dance-like movements often
associated with conditions like Huntington's disease
What is a resting tremor? - (ANSWER)Involuntary shaking that occurs when a body part is
relaxed, commonly seen in Parkinson's disease
What is the significance of deep tendon reflexes (DTR)? - (ANSWER)They determine the integrity
of neurological function and motor neuron lesions
What is the role of cranial nerve assessments in neurological evaluation? - (ANSWER)To evaluate
sensory and motor functions of the cranial nerves
What is the function of the optic nerve? - (ANSWER)Vision; assessed using the Snellen eye chart
How is the oculomotor nerve assessed? - (ANSWER)By evaluating eye movement and performing
the PERRLA assessment
What does the term 'foot drop' refer to? - (ANSWER)A condition caused by nerve damage or
muscle weakness, leading to difficulty lifting the front part of the foot
What are the four regions of the spinal cord? - (ANSWER)Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral
regions
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GUARANTEED PASS !!
What are the two main components of the nervous system? - (ANSWER)Central Nervous System
(CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
What does the Central Nervous System consist of? - (ANSWER)The brain and spinal cord
What are the two branches of the Peripheral Nervous System? - (ANSWER)Somatic and
autonomic nervous systems
What is the function of the somatic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Carries CNS impulses for
conscious or voluntary activities
What is the role of the autonomic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Carries CNS impulses to smooth,
involuntary muscles and mediates unconscious activities
What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems
What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system? - (ANSWER)Activates the 'fight or flight'
response during stress
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do? - (ANSWER)Restores and maintains normal
body functions, known as 'rest and digest'
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale used for? - (ANSWER)To assess overall level of consciousness
(LOC)
What does the NIHSS tool assess? - (ANSWER)It assesses for stroke and level of disability
Page 1 of 5
, What is the purpose of the Mini-Mental State Exam? - (ANSWER)To assess for dementia versus
delirium
What is a common symptom to inquire about during a neurological health history? -
(ANSWER)Loss of sensation, dizziness, headaches, seizures, confusion
What does a positive Romberg test indicate? - (ANSWER)Imbalance or swaying, suggestive of
cerebellar dysfunction
What are choreiform movements? - (ANSWER)Involuntary, jerky, dance-like movements often
associated with conditions like Huntington's disease
What is a resting tremor? - (ANSWER)Involuntary shaking that occurs when a body part is
relaxed, commonly seen in Parkinson's disease
What is the significance of deep tendon reflexes (DTR)? - (ANSWER)They determine the integrity
of neurological function and motor neuron lesions
What is the role of cranial nerve assessments in neurological evaluation? - (ANSWER)To evaluate
sensory and motor functions of the cranial nerves
What is the function of the optic nerve? - (ANSWER)Vision; assessed using the Snellen eye chart
How is the oculomotor nerve assessed? - (ANSWER)By evaluating eye movement and performing
the PERRLA assessment
What does the term 'foot drop' refer to? - (ANSWER)A condition caused by nerve damage or
muscle weakness, leading to difficulty lifting the front part of the foot
What are the four regions of the spinal cord? - (ANSWER)Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral
regions
Page 2 of 5
