Neuro Test Bank. Exam Study
Guide – Practice Questions
with Answers. GRADED A+.
Latest 2026/2027 Update.
When admitting an acutely confused 20-year-old patient with a head injury,
which action should the nurse take?
a. Ask family members about the patients health history.
b. Ask leading questions to assist in obtaining health data.
c. Wait until the patient is better oriented to ask questions.
d. Obtain only the physiologic neurologic assessment data. - Ans✔✔-a. Ask
family members about the patients health history.
When admitting a patient who is likely to be a poor historian, the nurse should
obtain health history information from others who have knowledge about the
patients health. Waiting until the patient is oriented or obtaining only
physiologic data will result in incomplete assessment data, which could
adversely affect decision making about treatment. Asking leading questions
may result in inaccurate or incomplete information.
,Which finding would the nurse expect when assessing the legs of a patient who
has a lower motor neuron lesion?
a. Spasticity
b. Flaccidity
c. No sensation
d. Hyperactive reflexes - Ans✔✔-b. Flaccidity
Because the cell bodies of lower motor neurons are located in the spinal cord,
damage to the neuron will decrease motor activity of the affected muscles.
Spasticity and hyperactive reflexes are caused by upper motor neuron damage.
Sensation is not impacted by motor neuron lesions.
The nurse performing a focused assessment of left posterior temporal lobe
functions will assess the patient for
a. sensation on the left side of the body.
b. voluntary movements on the right side.
c. reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
d. understanding written and oral language. - Ans✔✔-d. understanding written
and oral language.
The posterior temporal lobe integrates the visual and auditory input for
language comprehension. Reasoning and problem solving are functions of the
anterior frontal lobe. Sensation on the left side of the body is located in the
right postcentral gyrus. Voluntary movement on the right side is controlled in
the left precentral gyrus.
,Propranolol (Inderal), a b-adrenergic blocker that inhibits sympathetic nervous
system activity, is prescribed for a patient who has extreme anxiety about
public speaking. The nurse monitors the patient for
a. dry mouth.
b. bradycardia.
c. constipation.
d. urinary retention. - Ans✔✔-b. bradycardia
Inhibition of the fight or flight response leads to a decreased heart rate. Dry
mouth, constipation, and urinary retention are associated with peripheral
nervous system blockade.
To assess the functioning of the trigeminal and facial nerves (CNs V and VII),
the nurse should
a. shine a light into the patients pupil.
b. check for unilateral eyelid drooping.
c. touch a cotton wisp strand to the cornea.
d. have the patient read a magazine or book. - Ans✔✔-a. shine a light into the
patients pupil.
The trigeminal and facial nerves are responsible for the corneal reflex. The
optic nerve is tested by having the patient read a Snellen chart or a newspaper.
Assessment of pupil response to light and ptosis are used to check function of
the oculomotor nerve.
Which action will the nurse include in the plan of care for a patient with
impaired functioning of the left glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the vagus
nerve (CN X)?
, a. Withhold oral fluid or foods.
b. Provide highly seasoned foods.
c. Insert an oropharyngeal airway.
d. Apply artificial tears every hour. - Ans✔✔-a. Withhold oral fluid or foods.
The glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves innervate the pharynx and control the
gag reflex. A patient with impaired function of these nerves is at risk for
aspiration. An oral airway may be needed when a patient is unconscious and
unable to maintain the airway, but it will not decrease aspiration risk. Taste and
eye blink are controlled by the facial nerve.
An unconscious male patient has just arrived in the emergency department
after a head injury caused by a motorcycle crash. Which order should the nurse
question?
a. Obtain x-rays of the skull and spine.
b. Prepare the patient for lumbar puncture.
c. Send for computed tomography (CT) scan.
d. Perform neurologic checks every 15 minutes. - Ans✔✔-b. Prepare the
patient for lumbar puncture.
After a head injury, the patient may be experiencing intracranial bleeding and
increased intracranial pressure, which could lead to herniation of the brain if a
lumbar puncture is performed. The other orders are appropriate.
A patient with suspected meningitis is scheduled for a lumbar puncture. Before
the procedure, the nurse will plan to
a. enforce NPO status for 4 hours.
b. transfer the patient to radiology.
Guide – Practice Questions
with Answers. GRADED A+.
Latest 2026/2027 Update.
When admitting an acutely confused 20-year-old patient with a head injury,
which action should the nurse take?
a. Ask family members about the patients health history.
b. Ask leading questions to assist in obtaining health data.
c. Wait until the patient is better oriented to ask questions.
d. Obtain only the physiologic neurologic assessment data. - Ans✔✔-a. Ask
family members about the patients health history.
When admitting a patient who is likely to be a poor historian, the nurse should
obtain health history information from others who have knowledge about the
patients health. Waiting until the patient is oriented or obtaining only
physiologic data will result in incomplete assessment data, which could
adversely affect decision making about treatment. Asking leading questions
may result in inaccurate or incomplete information.
,Which finding would the nurse expect when assessing the legs of a patient who
has a lower motor neuron lesion?
a. Spasticity
b. Flaccidity
c. No sensation
d. Hyperactive reflexes - Ans✔✔-b. Flaccidity
Because the cell bodies of lower motor neurons are located in the spinal cord,
damage to the neuron will decrease motor activity of the affected muscles.
Spasticity and hyperactive reflexes are caused by upper motor neuron damage.
Sensation is not impacted by motor neuron lesions.
The nurse performing a focused assessment of left posterior temporal lobe
functions will assess the patient for
a. sensation on the left side of the body.
b. voluntary movements on the right side.
c. reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
d. understanding written and oral language. - Ans✔✔-d. understanding written
and oral language.
The posterior temporal lobe integrates the visual and auditory input for
language comprehension. Reasoning and problem solving are functions of the
anterior frontal lobe. Sensation on the left side of the body is located in the
right postcentral gyrus. Voluntary movement on the right side is controlled in
the left precentral gyrus.
,Propranolol (Inderal), a b-adrenergic blocker that inhibits sympathetic nervous
system activity, is prescribed for a patient who has extreme anxiety about
public speaking. The nurse monitors the patient for
a. dry mouth.
b. bradycardia.
c. constipation.
d. urinary retention. - Ans✔✔-b. bradycardia
Inhibition of the fight or flight response leads to a decreased heart rate. Dry
mouth, constipation, and urinary retention are associated with peripheral
nervous system blockade.
To assess the functioning of the trigeminal and facial nerves (CNs V and VII),
the nurse should
a. shine a light into the patients pupil.
b. check for unilateral eyelid drooping.
c. touch a cotton wisp strand to the cornea.
d. have the patient read a magazine or book. - Ans✔✔-a. shine a light into the
patients pupil.
The trigeminal and facial nerves are responsible for the corneal reflex. The
optic nerve is tested by having the patient read a Snellen chart or a newspaper.
Assessment of pupil response to light and ptosis are used to check function of
the oculomotor nerve.
Which action will the nurse include in the plan of care for a patient with
impaired functioning of the left glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the vagus
nerve (CN X)?
, a. Withhold oral fluid or foods.
b. Provide highly seasoned foods.
c. Insert an oropharyngeal airway.
d. Apply artificial tears every hour. - Ans✔✔-a. Withhold oral fluid or foods.
The glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves innervate the pharynx and control the
gag reflex. A patient with impaired function of these nerves is at risk for
aspiration. An oral airway may be needed when a patient is unconscious and
unable to maintain the airway, but it will not decrease aspiration risk. Taste and
eye blink are controlled by the facial nerve.
An unconscious male patient has just arrived in the emergency department
after a head injury caused by a motorcycle crash. Which order should the nurse
question?
a. Obtain x-rays of the skull and spine.
b. Prepare the patient for lumbar puncture.
c. Send for computed tomography (CT) scan.
d. Perform neurologic checks every 15 minutes. - Ans✔✔-b. Prepare the
patient for lumbar puncture.
After a head injury, the patient may be experiencing intracranial bleeding and
increased intracranial pressure, which could lead to herniation of the brain if a
lumbar puncture is performed. The other orders are appropriate.
A patient with suspected meningitis is scheduled for a lumbar puncture. Before
the procedure, the nurse will plan to
a. enforce NPO status for 4 hours.
b. transfer the patient to radiology.
