1|Page
Spinal Cord Injury NCLEX {Questions With
100% Correct Answers} (2026 /
2027)(Verified by Experts)
A patient with a spinal cord injury is recovering from spinal shock.
The nurse realizes that the patient should not develop a full
bladder because what emergency condition can occur if it is not
corrected quickly?
1. autonomic dysreflexia
2. autonomic crisis
3. autonomic shutdown
4. autonomic failure ......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: Be attuned to the prevention of a distended bladder
when caring for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients in order to
prevent this chain of events that lead to autonomic dysreflexia.
Track urinary output carefully. Routine use of bladder scanning
can help prevent the occurrence. Other causes of autonomic
dysreflexia are impacted stool and skin pressure. Autonomic crisis,
autonomic shutdown, and autonomic failure are not terms used to
describe common complications of spinal injury associated with
bladder distension.
Which patient is at highest risk for a spinal cord injury?
1. 18-year-old male with a prior arrest for driving while
intoxicated (DWI)
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2. 20-year-old female with a history of substance abuse
3. 50-year-old female with osteoporosis
4. 35-year-old male who coaches a soccer team
......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: The three major risk factors for spinal cord injuries (SCI)
are age (young adults), gender (higher incidence in males), and
alcohol or drug abuse. Females tend to engage in less risk-taking
behavior than young men.
The nurse understands that when the spinal cord is injured,
ischemia results and edema occurs. How should the nurse explain
to the patient the reason that the extent of injury cannot be
determined for several days to a week?
1. "Tissue repair does not begin for 72 hours."
2. "The edema extends the level of injury for two cord
segments above and below the affected level."
3. "Neurons need time to regenerate so stating the injury early is
not predictive of how the patient progresses."
4. "Necrosis of gray and white matter does not occur until days
after the injury." ......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 2
Rationale: Within 24 hours necrosis of both gray and white matter
begins if ischemia has been prolonged and the function of nerves
passing through the injured area is lost. Because the edema extends
above and below the area affected, the extent of injury cannot be
determined until after the edema is controlled. Neurons do not
regenerate, and the edema is the factor that limits the ability to
predict extent of injury.
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A patient with a spinal cord injury (SCI) has complete paralysis of
the upper extremities and complete paralysis of the lower part of
the body. The nurse should use which medical term to adequately
describe this in documentation?
1. hemiplegia
2. paresthesia
3. paraplegia
4. quadriplegia ......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 4
Rationale: Quadriplegia describes complete paralysis of the upper
extremities and complete paralysis of the lower part of the body.
Hemiplegia describes paralysis on one side of the body. Paresthesia
does not indicate paralysis. Paraplegia is paralysis of the lower
body.
Which of the following nursing actions is appropriate for
preventing skin breakdown in a patient who has recently
undergone a laminectomy?
1. Provide the patient with an air mattress.
2. Place pillows under patient to help patient turn.
3. Teach the patient to grasp the side rail to turn.
4. Use the log roll to turn the patient to the side.
......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 4
Rationale: A patient who has undergone a laminectomy needs to be
turned by log rolling to prevent pressure on the area of surgery. An
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air mattress will help prevent skin breakdown but the patient still
needs to be turned frequently. Placing pillows under the patient
can help take pressure off of one side but the patient still needs to
change positions often. Teaching the patient to grasp the side rail
will cause the spine to twist, which needs to be avoided.
A patient with a spinal cord injury at the T1 level complains of a
severe headache and an "anxious feeling." Which is the most
appropriate initial reaction by the nurse?
1. Try to calm the patient and make the environment soothing.
2. Assess for a full bladder.
3. Notify the healthcare provider.
4. Prepare the patient for diagnostic radiography.
......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 2
Rationale: Autonomic dysreflexia occurs in patients with injury at
level T6 or higher, and is a life-threatening situation that will
require immediate intervention or the patient will die. The most
common cause is an overextended bladder or bowel. Symptoms
include hypertension, headache, diaphoresis, bradycardia, visual
changes, anxiety, and nausea. A calm, soothing environment is
fine, though not what the patient needs in this case. The nurse
should recognize this as an emergency and proceed accordingly.
Once the assessment has been completed, the findings will need to
be communicated to the healthcare provider.
Spinal Cord Injury NCLEX {Questions With
100% Correct Answers} (2026 /
2027)(Verified by Experts)
A patient with a spinal cord injury is recovering from spinal shock.
The nurse realizes that the patient should not develop a full
bladder because what emergency condition can occur if it is not
corrected quickly?
1. autonomic dysreflexia
2. autonomic crisis
3. autonomic shutdown
4. autonomic failure ......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: Be attuned to the prevention of a distended bladder
when caring for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients in order to
prevent this chain of events that lead to autonomic dysreflexia.
Track urinary output carefully. Routine use of bladder scanning
can help prevent the occurrence. Other causes of autonomic
dysreflexia are impacted stool and skin pressure. Autonomic crisis,
autonomic shutdown, and autonomic failure are not terms used to
describe common complications of spinal injury associated with
bladder distension.
Which patient is at highest risk for a spinal cord injury?
1. 18-year-old male with a prior arrest for driving while
intoxicated (DWI)
,2|Page
2. 20-year-old female with a history of substance abuse
3. 50-year-old female with osteoporosis
4. 35-year-old male who coaches a soccer team
......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: The three major risk factors for spinal cord injuries (SCI)
are age (young adults), gender (higher incidence in males), and
alcohol or drug abuse. Females tend to engage in less risk-taking
behavior than young men.
The nurse understands that when the spinal cord is injured,
ischemia results and edema occurs. How should the nurse explain
to the patient the reason that the extent of injury cannot be
determined for several days to a week?
1. "Tissue repair does not begin for 72 hours."
2. "The edema extends the level of injury for two cord
segments above and below the affected level."
3. "Neurons need time to regenerate so stating the injury early is
not predictive of how the patient progresses."
4. "Necrosis of gray and white matter does not occur until days
after the injury." ......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 2
Rationale: Within 24 hours necrosis of both gray and white matter
begins if ischemia has been prolonged and the function of nerves
passing through the injured area is lost. Because the edema extends
above and below the area affected, the extent of injury cannot be
determined until after the edema is controlled. Neurons do not
regenerate, and the edema is the factor that limits the ability to
predict extent of injury.
,3|Page
A patient with a spinal cord injury (SCI) has complete paralysis of
the upper extremities and complete paralysis of the lower part of
the body. The nurse should use which medical term to adequately
describe this in documentation?
1. hemiplegia
2. paresthesia
3. paraplegia
4. quadriplegia ......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 4
Rationale: Quadriplegia describes complete paralysis of the upper
extremities and complete paralysis of the lower part of the body.
Hemiplegia describes paralysis on one side of the body. Paresthesia
does not indicate paralysis. Paraplegia is paralysis of the lower
body.
Which of the following nursing actions is appropriate for
preventing skin breakdown in a patient who has recently
undergone a laminectomy?
1. Provide the patient with an air mattress.
2. Place pillows under patient to help patient turn.
3. Teach the patient to grasp the side rail to turn.
4. Use the log roll to turn the patient to the side.
......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 4
Rationale: A patient who has undergone a laminectomy needs to be
turned by log rolling to prevent pressure on the area of surgery. An
, 4|Page
air mattress will help prevent skin breakdown but the patient still
needs to be turned frequently. Placing pillows under the patient
can help take pressure off of one side but the patient still needs to
change positions often. Teaching the patient to grasp the side rail
will cause the spine to twist, which needs to be avoided.
A patient with a spinal cord injury at the T1 level complains of a
severe headache and an "anxious feeling." Which is the most
appropriate initial reaction by the nurse?
1. Try to calm the patient and make the environment soothing.
2. Assess for a full bladder.
3. Notify the healthcare provider.
4. Prepare the patient for diagnostic radiography.
......ANSWER.....Correct Answer: 2
Rationale: Autonomic dysreflexia occurs in patients with injury at
level T6 or higher, and is a life-threatening situation that will
require immediate intervention or the patient will die. The most
common cause is an overextended bladder or bowel. Symptoms
include hypertension, headache, diaphoresis, bradycardia, visual
changes, anxiety, and nausea. A calm, soothing environment is
fine, though not what the patient needs in this case. The nurse
should recognize this as an emergency and proceed accordingly.
Once the assessment has been completed, the findings will need to
be communicated to the healthcare provider.
