C HAPTER 7: T HE H EAD AND N ECK
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient reports excruciating headache pain on one side of his head,
especiall y around his eye, forehead, and cheek that has lasted
approximatel y to 2 hours, occurring once or twice each day. The nurse
should suspect:
a. Hypertension.
b. Cluster headaches.
c. Tension headaches.
d. Migraine headaches.
ANS: B
Cluster headaches produce pain around the eye, temple, forehead, and
cheek and are unilateral and always on the same side of the head. They
are excruciating and occur once or twice per day and last to 2 hours
each.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying (Application) REF: p. 256 MSC:
Client Needs: Physiologic Integrit y: Physiologic Adaptation
2. A patient complains that while studying for an examination he began to
notice a severe headache in the frontotemporal area of his head that is
throbbing and is somewhat relieved when he lies down. He tells the nurse
that his mother also had these headaches. The nurse suspects that he may
be suffering from:
, a. Hypertension.
b. Cluster headaches.
c. Tension headaches.
d. Migraine headaches.
ANS: D
Migraine headaches tend to be supraorbital, retroorbital, or
frontotemporal with a throbbing qualit y. They are severe in qualit y and
are relieved by l ying down. Migraines are associ ated with a famil y
history of migraine headaches.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying (Application) REF: p. 256 MSC:
Client Needs: Physiologic Integrit y: Physiologic Adaptation
3. A 19-year-old college student is brought to the emergency department
with a severe headache he describes as, Like nothing Ive ever had before.
His temperature is 40 C, and he has a stiff neck. The nurse looks for other
signs and symptoms of which problem?
a. Head injury
b. Cluster headache
c. Migraine headache
d. Meningeal inflammation
ANS: D
The acute onset of neck stiffness and pain along with headache and
fever occurs with meningeal inflammation. A severe headache in an
adult or child who has never had it before is a red flag. Head injury
, and cluster or migraine headaches are not associate d with a fever or
stiff neck.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Anal yzing (Anal ysis) REF: p. 258
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrit y: Physiologic
Adaptation
4. During a well -baby checkup, the nurse notices that a 1 -week-old infants
face looks small compared with his cranium, which seems enlarged. On
further examination, the nurse also notices dilated scalp veins and
downcast or setting sun eyes. The nurse suspects which condition?
a. Craniotabes
b. Microcephal y
c. Hydrocephalus
d. Caput succedaneum
ANS: C
Hydrocephalus occurs with the obstruction of drainage of cerebrospinal
fluid that results in excessive accumulation, increasing intracranial
pressure, and an enlargement of the head. The face looks small,
compared with the enlarged cranium, and dilated scalp veins and
downcast or setting sun eyes are noted. Craniotabes is a softening of
the skulls outer layer. Microcephal y is an abnormall y small head. A
caput succedaneum is edematous swelling and ecchymosis of the
presenting part of the head caused by birth trauma.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying (Application) REF: p. 272 MSC:
Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient reports excruciating headache pain on one side of his head,
especiall y around his eye, forehead, and cheek that has lasted
approximatel y to 2 hours, occurring once or twice each day. The nurse
should suspect:
a. Hypertension.
b. Cluster headaches.
c. Tension headaches.
d. Migraine headaches.
ANS: B
Cluster headaches produce pain around the eye, temple, forehead, and
cheek and are unilateral and always on the same side of the head. They
are excruciating and occur once or twice per day and last to 2 hours
each.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying (Application) REF: p. 256 MSC:
Client Needs: Physiologic Integrit y: Physiologic Adaptation
2. A patient complains that while studying for an examination he began to
notice a severe headache in the frontotemporal area of his head that is
throbbing and is somewhat relieved when he lies down. He tells the nurse
that his mother also had these headaches. The nurse suspects that he may
be suffering from:
, a. Hypertension.
b. Cluster headaches.
c. Tension headaches.
d. Migraine headaches.
ANS: D
Migraine headaches tend to be supraorbital, retroorbital, or
frontotemporal with a throbbing qualit y. They are severe in qualit y and
are relieved by l ying down. Migraines are associ ated with a famil y
history of migraine headaches.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying (Application) REF: p. 256 MSC:
Client Needs: Physiologic Integrit y: Physiologic Adaptation
3. A 19-year-old college student is brought to the emergency department
with a severe headache he describes as, Like nothing Ive ever had before.
His temperature is 40 C, and he has a stiff neck. The nurse looks for other
signs and symptoms of which problem?
a. Head injury
b. Cluster headache
c. Migraine headache
d. Meningeal inflammation
ANS: D
The acute onset of neck stiffness and pain along with headache and
fever occurs with meningeal inflammation. A severe headache in an
adult or child who has never had it before is a red flag. Head injury
, and cluster or migraine headaches are not associate d with a fever or
stiff neck.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Anal yzing (Anal ysis) REF: p. 258
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrit y: Physiologic
Adaptation
4. During a well -baby checkup, the nurse notices that a 1 -week-old infants
face looks small compared with his cranium, which seems enlarged. On
further examination, the nurse also notices dilated scalp veins and
downcast or setting sun eyes. The nurse suspects which condition?
a. Craniotabes
b. Microcephal y
c. Hydrocephalus
d. Caput succedaneum
ANS: C
Hydrocephalus occurs with the obstruction of drainage of cerebrospinal
fluid that results in excessive accumulation, increasing intracranial
pressure, and an enlargement of the head. The face looks small,
compared with the enlarged cranium, and dilated scalp veins and
downcast or setting sun eyes are noted. Craniotabes is a softening of
the skulls outer layer. Microcephal y is an abnormall y small head. A
caput succedaneum is edematous swelling and ecchymosis of the
presenting part of the head caused by birth trauma.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying (Application) REF: p. 272 MSC:
Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
