FREE NCS Patient Management Questions and Answers
Which of the following is the most appropriate initial goal for a patient with a recent stroke presenting with significant hemiparesis?
For patients with a recent stroke and significant hemiparesis, the immediate focus should be on enhancing safety and independence in ADLs. This helps improve quality of life and ensures that the patient can manage basic tasks despite functional limitations. Restoring full motor or sensory function may be longer-term goals and might not be feasible initially.
For a patient with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which outcome measure is most appropriate for assessing cognitive and executive function?
The MMSE is specifically designed to assess cognitive function and can be useful in evaluating cognitive deficits and changes in a patient with a TBI. The Rancho Los Amigos Scale is more focused on the levels of consciousness and recovery stages in TBI, while the FIM assesses overall functional independence and the Berg Balance Scale is used for balance assessment.
Which of the following outcomes is most appropriate to measure the effectiveness of a balance intervention in a patient with multiple sclerosis?
For patients with multiple sclerosis, measuring the reduction in the number of falls and improvement in balance scores directly assesses the effectiveness of balance interventions. These outcomes are relevant to the primary goal of enhancing balance and reducing fall risk.
When developing a treatment plan for a patient with Parkinson’s disease, which intervention is most likely to address gait disturbances effectively?
Dual-task training, which involves performing a motor task while simultaneously engaging in a cognitive task, is effective in addressing gait disturbances in patients with Parkinson’s disease. This approach helps improve balance and walking ability by challenging the patient to integrate cognitive and motor functions, which are often impaired in Parkinson’s disease.
A patient with a spinal cord injury (SCI) is experiencing autonomic dysreflexia. What should be your immediate action?
Autonomic dysreflexia is a medical emergency common in patients with SCI above the T6 level. The immediate action is to assist the patient in sitting upright to help reduce blood pressure and identify and address the cause of the dysreflexia, such as a full bladder or pressure sores. Applying hot packs or increasing exercise intensity can exacerbate the condition.