MEDICAL SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS (NURS
432) ABSN EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE FALL 2025-
2026 SERIES UPDATED AND VERIFIED.
, Exam 2 Study Guide → NUR 432 Fall 2025- ABSN
SCI:
•
o Cervical
▪ cause paralysis or weakness in both arms and legs.
(quadriplegia or tetraplegia).
▪ Controls signals to back of head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands,
DIAPHRAGM → c3 and above assess respiratory
o Thoracic
▪ less common due to the rib cage that protects it.
▪ Can cause paralysis or weakness of legs (paraplegia) and loss of
sensation of bowel, bladder and sexual dysfunction
▪ In most cases hands and arms NOT affected.
o Lumbar
▪ paralysis or weakness of legs (paraplegia) loss of sensation bowel, bladder, sexual dysfunction.
▪ Arms and hands not usually affected.
o Sacral
▪ loss of bowel and bladder and sexual dysfunction, weakness or paralysis of hips and legs.
•
Complications:
o Autonomic dysreflexia
▪ Spinal cord injury @ T6 or higher triggered by
sustained stimuli at or below from T6: restrictive
clothing, full bladder, pressure areas, fecal
impaction → find cause & remove it
▪ Most common cause = distended bladder
~ person can’t feel that their bladder is full, but the body
knows that it is & sends the body into a hyperactive state
▪ High BP, severe headache, flushed,
bradycardia sweating ABOVE level of injury,
blurred vision, nausea,
There is stimulation of sensory receptors below level
of injury – ANS responds by vasoconstriction that ↑BP
Baroreceptors in the carotid sinus sense the increased
BP and stimulate the parasympathetic NS, thus
bradycardia
▪ Elevate HOB
▪ DETERMINE CAUSE (distended bladder/rectum, stimulation of skin by constricted clothing, stimulation
of pain receptors) → remove stimuli
▪ Monitor BP
432) ABSN EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE FALL 2025-
2026 SERIES UPDATED AND VERIFIED.
, Exam 2 Study Guide → NUR 432 Fall 2025- ABSN
SCI:
•
o Cervical
▪ cause paralysis or weakness in both arms and legs.
(quadriplegia or tetraplegia).
▪ Controls signals to back of head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands,
DIAPHRAGM → c3 and above assess respiratory
o Thoracic
▪ less common due to the rib cage that protects it.
▪ Can cause paralysis or weakness of legs (paraplegia) and loss of
sensation of bowel, bladder and sexual dysfunction
▪ In most cases hands and arms NOT affected.
o Lumbar
▪ paralysis or weakness of legs (paraplegia) loss of sensation bowel, bladder, sexual dysfunction.
▪ Arms and hands not usually affected.
o Sacral
▪ loss of bowel and bladder and sexual dysfunction, weakness or paralysis of hips and legs.
•
Complications:
o Autonomic dysreflexia
▪ Spinal cord injury @ T6 or higher triggered by
sustained stimuli at or below from T6: restrictive
clothing, full bladder, pressure areas, fecal
impaction → find cause & remove it
▪ Most common cause = distended bladder
~ person can’t feel that their bladder is full, but the body
knows that it is & sends the body into a hyperactive state
▪ High BP, severe headache, flushed,
bradycardia sweating ABOVE level of injury,
blurred vision, nausea,
There is stimulation of sensory receptors below level
of injury – ANS responds by vasoconstriction that ↑BP
Baroreceptors in the carotid sinus sense the increased
BP and stimulate the parasympathetic NS, thus
bradycardia
▪ Elevate HOB
▪ DETERMINE CAUSE (distended bladder/rectum, stimulation of skin by constricted clothing, stimulation
of pain receptors) → remove stimuli
▪ Monitor BP
