MMSE Orientation to Time 2

Question 1

On the MMSE, a patient correctly states the year and month but cannot recall the day of the week. How many points does this patient earn on the orientation to time section?

Accepted Answer

4 points

Answer

The MMSE awards 1 point each for year, season, month, date, and day of the week, so correctly answering year and month but missing day of the week yields 4 points (assuming date and season are also correct minus day).

Question 2

Which of the following best describes how the MMSE examiner should respond if a patient asks to have the time orientation question repeated?

Accepted Answer

Repeat the question once and score accordingly

Answer

Standard MMSE administration allows the examiner to repeat a question once; the patient's response to the repeated question is then scored.

Question 3

A patient being tested in late December states it is 'winter' when asked for the current season. In the US, this answer is:

Accepted Answer

Correct, since December falls in winter

Answer

December is generally accepted as winter in the US context of the MMSE, so this response earns the 1-point credit.

Question 4

During MMSE administration, which time orientation item is most commonly missed by patients with mild cognitive impairment?

Accepted Answer

Exact date of the month

Answer

The exact date of the month is the most frequently missed time orientation item because it requires precise recall rather than general awareness.

Question 5

A patient states the correct month but is one year off on the year during MMSE testing. What is the maximum score this patient can earn on the 5-point time orientation section?

Accepted Answer

4 points

Answer

Since each item is scored independently, correctly answering month, season, date, and day while missing the year yields a maximum of 4 points.

MMSE - Mini-Mental State Examination Practice Test

MMSE - Mini-Mental State Examination Practice Test

MMSE Orientation to Time 2