NURSING 250 SPINAL CORD INJURY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What are 7 questions to be answered about someone who presents to the ED with a suspected spinal
cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅- How far did they fall?
- What did they land on?
- Was there a loss of consciousness?
- What position was the patient found in?
- Any initial complaints/injuries?
- What precautions were taken initially by PH personnel?
- What treatment did PH personnel complete?
T or F ; Awareness of the prehospital management of a spinal cord injury is critical to each patient's
ultimate neurologic outcome. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅True!
- 25% of spinal cord injuries are made worse by how we care for them
What does the acronmyn ABCDE stand for that we use when doing a priority assessment of a suspected
spinal cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A - Airway (pathway for air, are they talking?)
B - Breathing (even, regular, lung sounds)
C - Circulation (perfusion assessment)
D - Disability (neuro, pupils, AAOx4)
E - Exposure (looking for issues)
What are the initial 4 areas you should access? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1. Neurovascular
- Sensory (physical senses such as sight)
- Motor (coordination of muscles)
2. Pain
3. GI
4. GU
, What two sensory signals are on different pathways? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅- Sharp
- Dull
What 3 things would you suspect to see in order when doing a GI assessment of someone with a spinal
cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1. Initial spinal cord injury often results in no peristalsis
2. Later, bowel movements may occur randomly
3. May be permanently relaxed "flaccid bowel"
What 4 things would you suspect to see in order when doing a GU assessment of someone with a spinal
cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1. Initial spinal cord injury often results in flaccid bladder
2. Can empty without warning
3. Become distended
4. Force urine back into kidneys due to incoordination of bladder and urethral sphincter
Due to the bowels possible not working after a spinal cord injury what are they at risk for? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Aspiration pneumonia
A flaccid bladder can lead to what? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅UTI due to retention
How should you access someone who you suspect has a spinal cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅-
Foot to head
- Distal to proximal
What are 7 initial nursing interventions for someone with a spinal cord injury? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅1. Maintain oxygenation
2. Positioning
3. IV access
4. OG/NG tube
5. Foley/fecal incontinence tube
6. Pain management
ANSWERS
What are 7 questions to be answered about someone who presents to the ED with a suspected spinal
cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅- How far did they fall?
- What did they land on?
- Was there a loss of consciousness?
- What position was the patient found in?
- Any initial complaints/injuries?
- What precautions were taken initially by PH personnel?
- What treatment did PH personnel complete?
T or F ; Awareness of the prehospital management of a spinal cord injury is critical to each patient's
ultimate neurologic outcome. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅True!
- 25% of spinal cord injuries are made worse by how we care for them
What does the acronmyn ABCDE stand for that we use when doing a priority assessment of a suspected
spinal cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A - Airway (pathway for air, are they talking?)
B - Breathing (even, regular, lung sounds)
C - Circulation (perfusion assessment)
D - Disability (neuro, pupils, AAOx4)
E - Exposure (looking for issues)
What are the initial 4 areas you should access? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1. Neurovascular
- Sensory (physical senses such as sight)
- Motor (coordination of muscles)
2. Pain
3. GI
4. GU
, What two sensory signals are on different pathways? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅- Sharp
- Dull
What 3 things would you suspect to see in order when doing a GI assessment of someone with a spinal
cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1. Initial spinal cord injury often results in no peristalsis
2. Later, bowel movements may occur randomly
3. May be permanently relaxed "flaccid bowel"
What 4 things would you suspect to see in order when doing a GU assessment of someone with a spinal
cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1. Initial spinal cord injury often results in flaccid bladder
2. Can empty without warning
3. Become distended
4. Force urine back into kidneys due to incoordination of bladder and urethral sphincter
Due to the bowels possible not working after a spinal cord injury what are they at risk for? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Aspiration pneumonia
A flaccid bladder can lead to what? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅UTI due to retention
How should you access someone who you suspect has a spinal cord injury? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅-
Foot to head
- Distal to proximal
What are 7 initial nursing interventions for someone with a spinal cord injury? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅1. Maintain oxygenation
2. Positioning
3. IV access
4. OG/NG tube
5. Foley/fecal incontinence tube
6. Pain management
