EMR TEST 6: Chapter 16, 17 | Questions & Answers (100 %Score) Latest Updated
2024/2025 Comprehensive Questions A+ Graded Answers | 100% Pass
normal mental status - ✔✔complete and accurate awareness of one's surroundings.
altered mental status - ✔✔decreased Pt. alertness and responsiveness to one's surroundings
signs/symptoms of an altered mental status - ✔✔Confusion, seizures, inappropriate behavior or
responses, lack of awareness of surroundings, syncope, unresponsiveness
importance of obtaining a baseline mental status prior to assessment - ✔✔A baseline mental status
allows us to accurately assess the Pt. and determine if the Pt. is altered. We need to know "their
normal" to determine if what they are experiencing is abnormal.
Glasgow Coma Scale - ✔✔Max- 15 pts, below 8= coma
3 components are assessed using a Glasgow Coma Scale - ✔✔Eye opening, verbal response, motor
response.
seizure - ✔✔A sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain
Generalized seizures (Grand Mal) - ✔✔a seizure that produces convulsions and tonic-clonic activity
Partial seizures (Petit Mal) - ✔✔a seizure that results in a temporary loss of awareness ("daydreamer").
signs/symptoms of a seizure. - ✔✔Sudden loss of responsiveness (complete or partial), aura,
convulsions, loss of bladder and/or bowel control, labored breathing, frothing at the mouth, postictal
state, status epilepticus
possible causes of a seizure. - ✔✔Epilepsy, drugs, alcohol, poison, alcohol/drug withdrawl, brain tumor,
infections, high fever (febrile), diabetic issues, stroke, heat stroke, head injury
, emergency care provided to someone having a seizure. - ✔✔Move objects away, protect the Pts. head,
do not attempt to restrain or force anything into the mouth, loosen restrictive clothing, after convulsion
place Pt. in recovery position, monitor ABCs and administer O2 if necessary
postictal phase of a seizure - ✔✔Can last minutes to hours, Pt. may become lethargic, confused,
combative, and experience nausea/vomiting, headache, fatigue, weakness
Stroke/Cerebrovascular Accident - ✔✔when blood flow to the brain or part of the brain is compromised.
2 causes of a stroke - ✔✔Obstruction/occlusion/blockage
Aneurysm
Obstruction/blockage (cause of a stroke) - ✔✔cerebral thrombosis (clot) occludes an artery within the
brain which reduces blood flow and causes tissue to die
Aneurysm (cause of a stroke) - ✔✔a ruptured blood vessel in the brain causes hemorrhage and reduced
blood flow to the brain tissue.
signs/symptoms of a stroke - ✔✔Severe headache, elevated BP, syncope, unequal pupils, AMS,
unilateral numbness/paralysis, slurred speech, blurry vision, confusion, dizziness
Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (FAST) - ✔✔Face - ask the Pt. to smile (observe bilateral movement
of the face)
Arms - ask the Pt. to close their eyes and raise both hands in front of them (observe bilateral rise)
Speech (ask the Pt. to repeat a sentence after you (observe speech)
Time - transport immediately
administer oxygen to a stroke Pt. - ✔✔titrate oxygen
