Exam 15: Alterations in Cognitive Systems, Cerebral Hemodynamics, and Motor Function

A teenager sustains a severe closed head injury following an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident and is in a state of deep sleep that requires vigorous stimulation to elicit eye opening. How should the nurse document this in the chart?

A 70-year-old patient is being closely monitored in the neurological critical care unit for a severe closed head injury. After 48 hours, signs of deterioration occur: pupils are small and sluggish, pulse pressure is widening, and heart rate is bradycardic. These clinical findings are evidence of what stage of intracranial hypertension?

What term describes a compensatory alteration in the diameter of cerebral blood vessels in response to increased intracranial pressure?

A 20-year-old experiences a severe closed head injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Which of the following structures is most likely keeping the patient in a vegetative state (VS)?

A patient has paralysis of both legs. What type of paralysis does the patient have?

An infant is diagnosed with noncommunicating hydrocephalus. What is an immediate priority concern for this patient?

A patient is admitted to the neurological critical care unit with a severe closed head injury. When an intraventricular catheter is inserted, the intracranial pressure (ICP) is recorded at 24 mm Hg. How should the nurse interpret this reading?

A 40-year-old male complains of uncontrolled excessive movement and progressive dysfunction of intellectual and thought processes. He is experiencing movement problems that begin in the face and arms and eventually affect the entire body. What is the most likely diagnosis?

The progress notes read: the cerebellar tonsil has shifted through the foramen magnum due to increased pressure within the posterior fossa. What type of herniation is this?

What part of the brain is responsible for mediating arousal?

What is spinal shock characterized by?

What breathing pattern reflects respirations based primarily on carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in the blood?