Week 9 Discussion: Assessing Neurological Symptoms Essay

Imagine not being able to form new memories. This is the reality patients with anterograde amnesia face. Although this form of amnesia is rare, it can result from severe brain trauma. Anterograde amnesia demonstrates just how impactful brain disorders can be to a patient’s quality of living. Accurately assessing neurological symptoms is a complex process that involves the analysis of many factors.

In this Discussion, you will consider case studies that describe abnormal findings in patients seen in a clinical setting.

Note: By Day 1 of this week, your Instructor will have assigned you to one of the following specific case studies for this Discussion. Also, your Discussion post should be in the SOAP Note format, rather than the traditional narrative style Discussion posting format. Refer to Chapter 2 of the Sullivan text and the Comprehensive SOAP Template in the Week 4 Learning Resources for guidance. Remember that not all comprehensive SOAP data are included in every patient case. Week 9 Discussion: Assessing Neurological Symptoms Essay

Case 1: Headaches

A 20-year-old male complains of experiencing intermittent headaches. The headaches diffuse all over the head, but the greatest intensity and pressure occurs above the eyes and spreads through the nose, cheekbones, and jaw.

Case 2: Numbness and Pain

A 47-year-old obese female complains of pain in her right wrist, with tingling and numbness in the thumb and index and middle fingers for the past 2 weeks. She has been frustrated because the pain causes her to drop her hair-styling tools.

Case 3: Drooping of Face

A 33-year-old female comes to your clinic alarmed about sudden “drooping” on the right side of the face that began this morning. She complains of excessive tearing and drooling on her right side as well.

To prepare:

With regard to the case study you were assigned:

Review this week’s Learning Resources, and consider the insights they provide about the case study.
Consider what history would be necessary to collect from the patient in the case study you were assigned.
Consider what physical exams and diagnostic tests would be appropriate to gather more information about the patient’s condition. How would the results be used to make a diagnosis?
Identify at least five possible conditions that may be considered in a differential diagnosis for the patient. Week 9 Discussion: Assessing Neurological Symptoms Essay

Note: Before you submit your initial post, replace the subject line (“Discussion – Week 9”) with “Review of Case Study ___.” Fill in the blank with the number of the case study you were assigned.

By Day 3

Post a description of the health history you would need to collect from the patient in the case study to which you were assigned. Explain what physical exams and diagnostic tests would be appropriate and how the results would be used to make a diagnosis. List five different possible conditions for the patient’s differential diagnosis, and justify why you selected each.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who were assigned different case studies than you. Analyze the possible conditions from your colleagues’ differential diagnoses. Determine which of the conditions you would reject and why. Identify the most likely condition, and justify your reasoning.

KINDLY ORDER NOW FOR A CUSTOM-WRITTEN AND PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER

NURS 6512 Week 9 Quiz

Question 1

A woman brings her husband to the emergency department and states that he is having a stroke. You are the student NP on the hospitalist service and are sent down first to obtain the history and physical. You develop a differential diagnosis and know that the initial gold standard radiology test to further evaluate is:

Question 2

You are examining a patient in the emergency department who has recently sustained head trauma. In order to initially assess this patient s neurologic status, you would:

Question 3

While interviewing a patient, you ask him to explain the Lion and the Mouse in order to assess:

Question 4

Which area of the brain is responsible for perceiving sounds and for determining their source?

Question 5

You are initially evaluating the equilibrium of Ms. Q. You ask her to stand with her feet together and arms at her sides. She loses her balance. Ms. Q. has a positive:

Question 6

An older adult is administered the Set Test and scores a 14. The nurse interprets this score as indicative of:

Question 7

To assess spinal levels L2, L3, and L4, which deep tendon reflex should be tested?

Question 8

The examiner should be concerned about neurologic competence if a social smile cannot be elicited by the time a child is _____ old.

Question 9

Environmental hazards and cognitive function are data needed for the personal and social history section of a neurologic assessment for:

Question 10

When you ask the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb or metaphor, you are assessing which of the following?

Question 11

Appropriateness of logic, sequence, cohesion, and relevance to topics are markers for assessment of:

Question 12

Facial muscle or tongue weakness may result in:

Question 13

If a patient cannot shrug the shoulders against resistance, which cranial nerve (CN) requires further evaluation?

Question 14

The finger-to-nose test allows assessment of:

Question 15

Visible or palpable extension of the elbow is caused by reflex contraction of which muscle?

Question 16

The major portion of brain growth and myelinization occurs between ____ year(s) of age.

Question 17

At what age should the infant begin to transfer objects from hand to hand?

Question 18

An acute polyneuropathy that commonly follows a nonspecific infection occurring 10 to 14 days earlier and that primarily affects the motor and autonomic peripheral nerves in an ascending pattern is:

Question 19

The Mini-Mental State Examination:

Question 20

You have asked a patient to close his eyes and identify an object placed in his hand. You are evaluating: