CNRN Neurovascular Disorders and Stroke Nursing 3

Question 1

Which intervention is the priority when a patient with known atrial fibrillation presents with acute ischemic stroke symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Obtain non-contrast CT of the head to rule out hemorrhage

Answer

Start anticoagulation immediately

Answer

Administer aspirin 325 mg

Answer

Begin IV heparin infusion

Question 2

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is defined as a focal neurological deficit that resolves within:

Accepted Answer

24 hours with no infarction on imaging

Answer

30 minutes with no infarction on imaging

Answer

48 hours regardless of imaging

Answer

72 hours with imaging confirmation

Question 3

The nurse is educating a patient discharged after TIA about secondary stroke prevention. Which lifestyle modification has the MOST impact on reducing recurrent stroke risk?

Accepted Answer

Smoking cessation

Answer

Reducing dietary fat

Answer

Limiting caffeine intake

Answer

Increasing sleep duration

Question 4

Which imaging modality is MOST sensitive for detecting acute ischemic stroke within the first hours of onset?

Accepted Answer

Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI)

Answer

Non-contrast CT scan

Answer

CT angiography

Answer

Cerebral angiography

Question 5

A patient with hemorrhagic stroke has a serum sodium of 126 mEq/L. The nurse identifies this as:

Accepted Answer

Cerebral salt-wasting syndrome (CSWS) or SIADH, both causing hyponatremia

Answer

Diabetes insipidus

Answer

Hyperaldosteronism

Answer

Normal post-stroke electrolyte pattern

Question 6

Which classification system stratifies ischemic stroke etiology into large-artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism, small-vessel occlusion, other determined cause, and undetermined cause?

Accepted Answer

TOAST classification

Answer

Oxford (Bamford) classification

Answer

NIHSS classification

Answer

Modified Rankin classification