CRRN Neurological Rehabilitation 1 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with traumatic brain injury (TBI) exhibits difficulty with word-finding and expressive communication. Which type of aphasia is most consistent with this presentation?
- Wernicke's aphasia
- Broca's aphasia (Correct answer)
- Global aphasia
- Anomic aphasia
Correct answer: Broca's aphasia
Broca's aphasia is characterized by non-fluent speech with intact comprehension, typically caused by damage to Broca's area in the frontal lobe.
Question 2: Which assessment tool is most appropriate for measuring cognitive function and rehabilitation potential in a patient with acquired brain injury?
- Rancho Los Amigos Scale (Correct answer)
- Barthel Index
- FIM Instrument
- Berg Balance Scale
Correct answer: Rancho Los Amigos Scale
The Rancho Los Amigos Scale (Levels of Cognitive Functioning) is specifically designed to assess cognitive recovery stages following brain injury.
Question 3: A rehabilitation nurse is caring for a patient with Parkinson's disease who has 'freezing' episodes during gait. Which nursing intervention is BEST to address this?
- Administer a PRN anxiolytic
- Use auditory or visual cues to initiate movement (Correct answer)
- Encourage the patient to rest until freezing resolves
- Apply a gait belt and pull the patient forward
Correct answer: Use auditory or visual cues to initiate movement
Auditory rhythmic cues (metronome) or visual floor markers help patients with Parkinson's overcome freezing by engaging alternative motor pathways.
Question 4: A patient post-stroke has left-sided neglect. Which nursing strategy BEST compensates for this deficit during meals?
- Place food on the right side of the tray only
- Position the meal tray on the left side to stimulate awareness (Correct answer)
- Feed the patient to ensure adequate nutrition
- Dim the lights on the left side of the room
Correct answer: Position the meal tray on the left side to stimulate awareness
Placing items on the neglected side and encouraging the patient to scan left promotes awareness and rehabilitation of unilateral neglect.
Question 5: Which intervention is PRIORITY for a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing Uhthoff's phenomenon?
- Encourage vigorous physical therapy in a warm pool
- Implement cooling strategies before and during exercise (Correct answer)
- Administer corticosteroids immediately
- Restrict all physical activity
Correct answer: Implement cooling strategies before and during exercise
Uhthoff's phenomenon is a temporary worsening of MS symptoms with elevated body temperature; cooling measures prevent this during rehabilitation activities.
Question 6: A rehabilitation nurse notes that a patient with spinal cord injury at C5 has spontaneous muscle spasms. Which statement about spasticity in SCI is CORRECT?
- Spasticity always indicates neurological deterioration
- Spasticity can be beneficial by maintaining muscle mass and preventing DVT (Correct answer)
- Spasticity should always be treated aggressively with neurolytic agents
- Spasticity is absent in upper motor neuron lesions
Correct answer: Spasticity can be beneficial by maintaining muscle mass and preventing DVT
In SCI, spasticity can have functional benefits including maintenance of muscle bulk, bone density, and venous return, though severe spasticity warrants management.
CRRN Neurological Rehabilitation 1
A patient with traumatic brain injury (TBI) exhibits difficulty with word-finding and expressive communication.
Which type of aphasia is most consistent with this presentation?