HA Abdomen, musculoskeletal, neurological
exam questions
2. central and peripheral.
The nervous system can be divided into two parts central and peripheral. The
central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral
nervous system includes the 12 pairs of cranial nerves, the 31 pairs of spinal
nerves, and all their branches.
1. Briefly describe the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
Question 1 The two parts of the nervous system are the:
1. motor and sensory.
2. central and peripheral.
3. peripheral and autonomic.
4. hypothalamus and cerebral.
2. The hypothalamus controls temperature and regulates sleep.
The hypothalamus is a vital area with many important functions: temperature
controller, sleep center, anterior and posterior pituitary gland regulator, and
coordinator of autonomic nervous system activity and emotional status.
Question 2 Which of the following statements is accurate concerning areas of the brain?
1. The cerebellum is the center for speech and emotions.
2. The hypothalamus controls temperature and regulates sleep.
3. The basal ganglia are responsible for controlling voluntary movements.
4. Motor pathways of the spinal cord and brainstem synapse in the thalamus.
3. spinal cord.
The spinal cord is the main highway for ascending and descending fiber tracts
that connect the brain to the spinal nerves, and it mediates reflexes.
,Question 3 The area of the nervous system that is responsible for mediating reflexes is
the:
1. medulla.
2. cerebellum.
3. spinal cord.
4. cerebral cortex.
4. The peripheral nerves carry input to the central nervous system by afferent
fibers and away by efferent fibers.
A nerve is a bundle of fibers outside the central nervous system. The peripheral
nerves carry input to the central nervous system by their sensory afferent fibers
and deliver output from the central nervous system by the efferent fibers.
Question 4 Which of the following statements about the peripheral nervous system is
correct?
1. The cranial nerves enter the brain through the spinal cord.
2. Efferent fibers carry sensory input to the central nervous system through the spinal
cord.
3. The peripheral nerves are inside the central nervous system and carry impulses
through their motor fibers.
4. The peripheral nerves carry input to the central nervous system by afferent fibers and
away by efferent fibers.
1. Reflexes will be normal.
A reflex is a defense mechanism of the nervous system. It operates below the
level of conscious control and permits a quick reaction to potentially painful or
damaging situations.
Question 5 A 21-year-old patient has a head injury resulting from trauma and is
unconscious. There are no other injuries. During the assessment what would the nurse
expect to find when testing the patient s deep tendon reflexes?
1. Reflexes will be normal.
2. Reflexes will not be able to be elicited.
,3. All reflexes would be diminished but present.
4. Some would be present depending on the area of injury.
1. vertigo.
True vertigo is rotational spinning caused by neurologic dysfunction or a
problem in the vestibular apparatus or the vestibular nuclei in the brainstem.
Question 6 During the history, a patient tells the nurse that it feels like the room is
spinning around me. The nurse would document this as:
1. vertigo.
2. syncope.
3. dizziness.
4. seizure activity.
3. Do you have any warning sign before your seizure starts?
Feedback: Aura is a subjective sensation that precedes a seizure; it could be
auditory, visual, or motor.
Question 7 When doing the history on a patient with a seizure disorder, the nurse
assesses whether the patient has an aura. Which of the following would be the best
question for obtaining this information?
1. Does your muscle tone seem tense or limp?
2. After the seizure, do you spend a lot of time sleeping?
3. Do you have any warning sign before your seizure starts?
4. Do you experience any color change or incontinence during the seizure?
4. Complete neurologic examination
Perform a complete neurologic examination on persons who have neurologic
concerns (e.g., headache, weakness, loss of coordination) or who have shown
signs of neurologic dysfunction.
Question 8 A 50-year-old woman is in the clinic for weakness in my left arm and leg for
the past week. The nurse will perform which type of neurologic examination?
1. Glasgow Coma Scale
, 2. Neurologic recheck examination
3. Screening neurologic examination
4. Complete neurologic examination
2. Motor component of VII
The findings listed reflect a dysfunction of the motor component of cranial nerve
VII as well as the sensory afferent in cranial nerve V.
Question 9 During an assessment of the cranial nerves, the nurse finds the following:
lack of blink in right eye with corneal reflex; intact ability to sense light touch on face;
loss of movement with facial features on right side. This would indicate dysfunction of
which of the following cranial nerves?
1. Motor component of IV
2. Motor component of VII
3. Motor and sensory components of XI
4. Motor component of X and sensory component of VII
4. Moves the head and shoulders against resistance with equal strength
Examine the sternomastoid and trapezius muscles for equal size. Check equal
strength by asking the person to rotate the head forcibly against resistance
applied to the side of the chin. Then ask the person to shrug the shoulders
against resistance. These movements should feel equally strong on both sides.
Question 10 The nurse is testing the function of cranial nerve XI. Which of the following
best describes the response the nurse would expect if the nerve is intact?
1. Demonstrates full range of motion of the neck
2. Sticks tongue out midline without tremors or deviation
3. Follows an object with eyes without nystagmus or strabismus
4. Moves the head and shoulders against resistance with equal strength
4. positive Romberg s sign.
Abnormal findings for Romberg s test: patient sways; falls; widens base of feet to
exam questions
2. central and peripheral.
The nervous system can be divided into two parts central and peripheral. The
central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral
nervous system includes the 12 pairs of cranial nerves, the 31 pairs of spinal
nerves, and all their branches.
1. Briefly describe the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
Question 1 The two parts of the nervous system are the:
1. motor and sensory.
2. central and peripheral.
3. peripheral and autonomic.
4. hypothalamus and cerebral.
2. The hypothalamus controls temperature and regulates sleep.
The hypothalamus is a vital area with many important functions: temperature
controller, sleep center, anterior and posterior pituitary gland regulator, and
coordinator of autonomic nervous system activity and emotional status.
Question 2 Which of the following statements is accurate concerning areas of the brain?
1. The cerebellum is the center for speech and emotions.
2. The hypothalamus controls temperature and regulates sleep.
3. The basal ganglia are responsible for controlling voluntary movements.
4. Motor pathways of the spinal cord and brainstem synapse in the thalamus.
3. spinal cord.
The spinal cord is the main highway for ascending and descending fiber tracts
that connect the brain to the spinal nerves, and it mediates reflexes.
,Question 3 The area of the nervous system that is responsible for mediating reflexes is
the:
1. medulla.
2. cerebellum.
3. spinal cord.
4. cerebral cortex.
4. The peripheral nerves carry input to the central nervous system by afferent
fibers and away by efferent fibers.
A nerve is a bundle of fibers outside the central nervous system. The peripheral
nerves carry input to the central nervous system by their sensory afferent fibers
and deliver output from the central nervous system by the efferent fibers.
Question 4 Which of the following statements about the peripheral nervous system is
correct?
1. The cranial nerves enter the brain through the spinal cord.
2. Efferent fibers carry sensory input to the central nervous system through the spinal
cord.
3. The peripheral nerves are inside the central nervous system and carry impulses
through their motor fibers.
4. The peripheral nerves carry input to the central nervous system by afferent fibers and
away by efferent fibers.
1. Reflexes will be normal.
A reflex is a defense mechanism of the nervous system. It operates below the
level of conscious control and permits a quick reaction to potentially painful or
damaging situations.
Question 5 A 21-year-old patient has a head injury resulting from trauma and is
unconscious. There are no other injuries. During the assessment what would the nurse
expect to find when testing the patient s deep tendon reflexes?
1. Reflexes will be normal.
2. Reflexes will not be able to be elicited.
,3. All reflexes would be diminished but present.
4. Some would be present depending on the area of injury.
1. vertigo.
True vertigo is rotational spinning caused by neurologic dysfunction or a
problem in the vestibular apparatus or the vestibular nuclei in the brainstem.
Question 6 During the history, a patient tells the nurse that it feels like the room is
spinning around me. The nurse would document this as:
1. vertigo.
2. syncope.
3. dizziness.
4. seizure activity.
3. Do you have any warning sign before your seizure starts?
Feedback: Aura is a subjective sensation that precedes a seizure; it could be
auditory, visual, or motor.
Question 7 When doing the history on a patient with a seizure disorder, the nurse
assesses whether the patient has an aura. Which of the following would be the best
question for obtaining this information?
1. Does your muscle tone seem tense or limp?
2. After the seizure, do you spend a lot of time sleeping?
3. Do you have any warning sign before your seizure starts?
4. Do you experience any color change or incontinence during the seizure?
4. Complete neurologic examination
Perform a complete neurologic examination on persons who have neurologic
concerns (e.g., headache, weakness, loss of coordination) or who have shown
signs of neurologic dysfunction.
Question 8 A 50-year-old woman is in the clinic for weakness in my left arm and leg for
the past week. The nurse will perform which type of neurologic examination?
1. Glasgow Coma Scale
, 2. Neurologic recheck examination
3. Screening neurologic examination
4. Complete neurologic examination
2. Motor component of VII
The findings listed reflect a dysfunction of the motor component of cranial nerve
VII as well as the sensory afferent in cranial nerve V.
Question 9 During an assessment of the cranial nerves, the nurse finds the following:
lack of blink in right eye with corneal reflex; intact ability to sense light touch on face;
loss of movement with facial features on right side. This would indicate dysfunction of
which of the following cranial nerves?
1. Motor component of IV
2. Motor component of VII
3. Motor and sensory components of XI
4. Motor component of X and sensory component of VII
4. Moves the head and shoulders against resistance with equal strength
Examine the sternomastoid and trapezius muscles for equal size. Check equal
strength by asking the person to rotate the head forcibly against resistance
applied to the side of the chin. Then ask the person to shrug the shoulders
against resistance. These movements should feel equally strong on both sides.
Question 10 The nurse is testing the function of cranial nerve XI. Which of the following
best describes the response the nurse would expect if the nerve is intact?
1. Demonstrates full range of motion of the neck
2. Sticks tongue out midline without tremors or deviation
3. Follows an object with eyes without nystagmus or strabismus
4. Moves the head and shoulders against resistance with equal strength
4. positive Romberg s sign.
Abnormal findings for Romberg s test: patient sways; falls; widens base of feet to
