The client reports a decreased sense of smell for the past week. Which condition would the nurse assess for?

Bell palsy

Leukoplakia

Nasal polyps

Lesion of cranial nerve V

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Choice A reason: Bell palsy affects cranial nerve VII, causing facial paralysis, not smell, which is cranial nerve I’s domain. A week of anosmia doesn’t align with this motor nerve issue, ruling it out as a cause of olfactory dysfunction here.

Choice B reason: Leukoplakia involves oral white patches, unrelated to smell, which cranial nerve I governs. It’s a mucosal condition, not nasal, missing the anatomical link to olfactory loss reported by the client over the past week entirely.

Choice C reason: Nasal polyps, benign growths in nasal passages, obstruct airflow, impairing cranial nerve I’s smell function. A week-long decrease fits this common cause, making it the priority to assess for physical blockage or inflammation in the nasal cavity accurately.

Choice D reason: Cranial nerve V (trigeminal) handles facial sensation, not smell, which is cranial nerve I’s role. A lesion here causes pain or numbness, not anosmia, excluding it as a relevant condition for this olfactory complaint specifically and fully.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Loss of tactile sensation ties to parietal lobe damage, not frontal. A frontal contusion affects executive function and speech, not sensory processing, making this finding less likely given the injury’s location in this trauma scenario fully.
Choice B reason: Difficulty speaking, like Broca’s aphasia, is common with frontal lobe contusions, as this area houses speech production centers. Post-accident, this aligns with damage to motor speech pathways, making it the most probable finding here accurately.
Choice C reason: Blurred vision relates to occipital or optic nerve injury, not frontal lobe. A contusion here impacts cognition or speech, not visual processing, rendering this less expected than speech issues in this head injury context entirely.
Choice D reason: Inability to hear high-pitched sounds involves cranial nerve VIII or temporal lobe, not frontal. This contusion affects behavior and speech, not auditory function, excluding this as a primary finding in this frontal damage case fully.

A. Rapid oscillations of the ankle B. Deviation of the heel to one side C. Pain and flexion in the knee D. The client reports paresthesia

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Rapid ankle oscillations might suggest tremor, possibly basal ganglia issues, not cerebellar dysfunction. The heel-shin test assesses coordination, where cerebellar damage causes drift, not rhythmic shaking, making this less indicative of the target pathology here.
Choice B reason: Heel deviation to one side in the heel-shin test signals cerebellar dysfunction, impairing coordination. The cerebellum fine-tunes movement; damage causes ataxia, leading to inaccurate sliding, making this the key sign of cerebellar issues accurately.
Choice C reason: Pain and knee flexion suggest joint or nerve issues, not cerebellar dysfunction. This test evaluates smooth motion, not pain response; cerebellar problems show ataxia, not discomfort, disconnecting this from the intended motor assessment fully.
Choice D reason: Paresthesia (tingling) indicates sensory nerve issues, not cerebellar motor control. The cerebellum coordinates movement, not sensation; this response misses the coordination focus of the heel-shin test, excluding it as a cerebellar sign here entirely.

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The client reports a decreased sense of smell for the past week. Which condition would the nurse assess for?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client is admitted to the emergency room with a head injury. The client denies a previous history of seizures or head injury. What would the nurse most likely find when assessing a client diagnosed with a frontal lobe contusion following a motor vehicle accident?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The nurse is testing for motor functioning by having the client lie down and slide the heel of the right foot down the left shin and then slide the heel of the left foot down the right shin. Which response by the patient would indicate that there may be cerebellar dysfunction?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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