A patient arrives at the emergency center with a severe head injury. During assessment, the nurse observes that the patient is unresponsive, adducts the arms tightly against the thorax, and plantar flexes the feet while internally rotating them. How would the nurse document this abnormal posture?

Opisthotonos

Flaccid quadriplegia

Decorticate rigidity

Decerebrate rigidity

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Opisthotonos is a severe arching of the back with hyperextension of the neck and limbs due to intense muscle spasms, often linked to tetanus or severe meningitis. It does not involve the specific arm adduction and foot plantar flexion with internal rotation described. This posture is unrelated to the neurological damage indicated, as it reflects a different pathological mechanism.

Choice B reason: Flaccid quadriplegia involves complete loss of muscle tone and voluntary movement in all four limbs, typically from spinal cord injury or neuromuscular disorders. The patient’s rigid arm adduction and plantar flexion indicate active muscle contraction, not flaccidity, making this an incorrect descriptor for the observed posture.

Choice C reason: Decorticate rigidity features arm flexion, clenched fists, and extended legs, typically due to cerebral cortex or internal capsule damage above the brainstem. The patient’s arm adduction and foot plantar flexion with internal rotation do not match this pattern, as decorticate posture lacks the internal rotation component.

Choice D reason: Decerebrate rigidity is marked by arm adduction, extension, and internal rotation, with legs extended and feet plantar flexed, as observed. This results from severe brainstem injury below the midbrain, disrupting corticospinal and vestibulospinal tracts, leading to unopposed extensor activity, accurately describing the patient’s posture.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Writing a series of numbers tests attention or working memory, not recent memory recall. Recalling words after a delay specifically assesses short-term memory, which is more relevant for a 70-year-old, so this is not the best method.

Choice B reason: Asking a patient to recall four words after 10 minutes directly tests recent memory, a key cognitive function in older adults. This method is standard in assessments like the Mini-Mental State Exam, making it the best choice for evaluating memory.

Choice C reason: Verifying information like a mother’s maiden name tests long-term memory, not recent recall. Recent memory involves retaining new information, so recalling words after a delay is more appropriate, making this incorrect.

Choice D reason: Naming past presidents relies on long-term memory and general knowledge, not recent memory. Recalling newly learned words after 10 minutes better assesses short-term memory, so this is not the best approach for recent memory.

A. Herniated brainstem B. Increased intracranial pressure C. Subdural hemorrhage D. Cerebral edema

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Herniated brainstem causes bilateral pupil changes and severe neurological signs, not unilateral dilation. Unilateral pupil dilation suggests increased intracranial pressure, so this is incorrect for these findings.

Choice B reason: Unilateral pupil dilation and nonreactivity, as seen in the right pupil, indicate increased intracranial pressure, often from mass effect compressing the oculomotor nerve. This is critical, making it the correct finding.

Choice C reason: Subdural hemorrhage may cause pressure but isn’t specific to these pupil changes. Unilateral dilation points to increased intracranial pressure as the immediate concern, so this is less precise.

Choice D reason: Cerebral edema contributes to pressure but is a broader term. Unilateral pupil dilation specifically suggests increased intracranial pressure, a more immediate and precise diagnosis, so this is incorrect.

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A patient arrives at the emergency center with a severe head injury. During assessment, the nurse observes that the patient is unresponsive, adducts the arms tightly against the thorax, and plantar flexes the feet while internally rotating them. How would the nurse document this abnormal posture?

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The best way to assess a 70-year-old patient’s recent memory recall is for the nurse to ask the patient to:

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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