CNRN Neurosurgical Nursing and Postoperative Care 3

Question 1

The nurse is caring for a patient with a lumbar drain placed for CSF diversion. The maximum recommended CSF drainage rate per hour is:

Accepted Answer

10–15 mL/hour

Answer

5 mL/hour

Answer

30 mL/hour

Answer

50 mL/hour

Question 2

After transsphenoidal surgery, the nurse instructs the patient to avoid which activity to prevent disruption of the surgical repair?

Accepted Answer

Blowing their nose forcefully

Answer

Deep breathing exercises

Answer

Sipping liquids through a straw

Answer

Walking in the hallway

Question 3

The nurse is assessing a patient with a cervical laminectomy and notices sudden respiratory distress. The most likely cause is:

Accepted Answer

Epidural hematoma compressing the cervical cord

Answer

Pulmonary embolism

Answer

Laryngospasm from intubation

Answer

Pneumonia

Question 4

Which test confirms the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome and is considered the gold standard?

Accepted Answer

Nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyography (EMG)

Answer

MRI of the wrist

Answer

Phalen's test

Answer

Tinel's sign

Question 5

A patient is admitted for a craniotomy for resection of a right temporal lobe glioblastoma. Preoperatively, the nurse anticipates the patient may have deficits in:

Accepted Answer

Receptive language (Wernicke's aphasia) if dominant hemisphere

Answer

Expressive language (Broca's aphasia)

Answer

Left visual field loss only

Answer

Frontal executive function

Question 6

A patient with a VP shunt complains of a new severe headache with blurred vision. Non-contrast CT shows enlarged ventricles compared to prior imaging. The nurse recognizes this indicates:

Accepted Answer

Shunt malfunction with hydrocephalus

Answer

Shunt over-drainage

Answer

Normal post-operative changes

Answer

Pseudotumor cerebri