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NIH STROKE SCALE (NIHSS) CERTIFICATION
EXAM REVIEW
Complete Test Bank for Groups A, B, C, D, E, F & H
Patients 1-6 per Group | APEX/AHA Format
High-Yield Q&A with Detailed Rationales
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Category Details
Subject NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) Certification
Healthcare Professionals (RN, MD, APRN, EMS), Stroke
Target Audience
Certification Candidates
Format Comprehensive Exam Review with Rationales
Groups Covered A, B, C, D, E, F, H
Patients per
6 (Patients 1-6)
Group
Alignment APEX/AHA NIHSS Certification Standards
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. NIHSS Overview & Scoring Guidelines
2. Group A: Patients 1-6
3. Group B: Patients 1-6
4. Group C: Patients 1-6
5. Group D: Patients 1-6
6. Group E: Patients 1-6
7. Group F: Patients 1-6
8. Group H: Patients 1-6
9. Comprehensive Review & Clinical Pearls
1. NIHSS OVERVIEW & SCORING GUIDELINES
1.1 The 11 NIHSS Items
Item Score
Category Description
Number Range
Level of
1a LOC 0-3
Consciousness
Questions (month,
1b LOC 0-2
age)
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Item Score
Category Description
Number Range
Commands
1c LOC (open/close eyes, 0-2
make fist)
Horizontal eye
2 Best Gaze 0-2
movement
3 Visual Visual fields 0-3
4 Facial Palsy Facial movement 0-3
5 Motor Arm Left arm drift 0-4
5 Motor Arm Right arm drift 0-4
6 Motor Leg Left leg drift 0-4
6 Motor Leg Right leg drift 0-4
7 Limb Ataxia Coordination 0-2
8 Sensory Sensation 0-2
9 Best Language Aphasia 0-3
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Item Score
Category Description
Number Range
10 Dysarthria Speech articulation 0-2
11 Extinction/Inattention Neglect 0-2
Total Score Range: 0-42
1.2 Score Interpretation
Total Score Stroke Severity
0 No stroke symptoms
1-4 Minor stroke
5-15 Moderate stroke
16-20 Moderate to severe stroke
21-42 Severe stroke
1.3 Key Scoring Principles
1. First measure: Score what the patient does, not what you think
they can do
NIH STROKE SCALE (NIHSS) CERTIFICATION
EXAM REVIEW
Complete Test Bank for Groups A, B, C, D, E, F & H
Patients 1-6 per Group | APEX/AHA Format
High-Yield Q&A with Detailed Rationales
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Category Details
Subject NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) Certification
Healthcare Professionals (RN, MD, APRN, EMS), Stroke
Target Audience
Certification Candidates
Format Comprehensive Exam Review with Rationales
Groups Covered A, B, C, D, E, F, H
Patients per
6 (Patients 1-6)
Group
Alignment APEX/AHA NIHSS Certification Standards
,2|Page
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. NIHSS Overview & Scoring Guidelines
2. Group A: Patients 1-6
3. Group B: Patients 1-6
4. Group C: Patients 1-6
5. Group D: Patients 1-6
6. Group E: Patients 1-6
7. Group F: Patients 1-6
8. Group H: Patients 1-6
9. Comprehensive Review & Clinical Pearls
1. NIHSS OVERVIEW & SCORING GUIDELINES
1.1 The 11 NIHSS Items
Item Score
Category Description
Number Range
Level of
1a LOC 0-3
Consciousness
Questions (month,
1b LOC 0-2
age)
,3|Page
Item Score
Category Description
Number Range
Commands
1c LOC (open/close eyes, 0-2
make fist)
Horizontal eye
2 Best Gaze 0-2
movement
3 Visual Visual fields 0-3
4 Facial Palsy Facial movement 0-3
5 Motor Arm Left arm drift 0-4
5 Motor Arm Right arm drift 0-4
6 Motor Leg Left leg drift 0-4
6 Motor Leg Right leg drift 0-4
7 Limb Ataxia Coordination 0-2
8 Sensory Sensation 0-2
9 Best Language Aphasia 0-3
, 4|Page
Item Score
Category Description
Number Range
10 Dysarthria Speech articulation 0-2
11 Extinction/Inattention Neglect 0-2
Total Score Range: 0-42
1.2 Score Interpretation
Total Score Stroke Severity
0 No stroke symptoms
1-4 Minor stroke
5-15 Moderate stroke
16-20 Moderate to severe stroke
21-42 Severe stroke
1.3 Key Scoring Principles
1. First measure: Score what the patient does, not what you think
they can do
