The nurse is caring for a patient with epilepsy who has recently had a change in their prescribed medication combination.
Which of the following options are priority to institute?

Choice A rationale

Ventriculostomies are inserted directly through the skull into the ventricles, not via the femoral artery. This method provides direct access to cerebrospinal fluid for drainage and pressure monitoring.

Choice B rationale

Ventriculostomies are placed to monitor intracranial pressure and drain excess cerebrospinal fluid, managing conditions like hydrocephalus or elevated intracranial pressure following brain injury or surgery.

Choice C rationale

An EEG monitors electrical brain activity but is unrelated to ventriculostomy placement. Ventriculostomy focuses on fluid drainage and pressure management, not on electrical diagnostic procedures.

Choice D rationale

Ventriculostomies carry a significant risk of infection due to the invasive nature of the procedure. Proper aseptic technique is critical to minimizing, not eliminating, the risk of infection.

Choice A rationale

Administering recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) may be necessary, but confirming ischemic stroke via CT scan precedes treatment to rule out hemorrhagic stroke, which contraindicates t-PA.

Choice B rationale

Performing a STAT non-contrast CT scan of the head is the priority to differentiate between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, enabling appropriate and timely intervention.

Choice C rationale

A STAT EKG and chest X-ray, though helpful in identifying concurrent cardiac or pulmonary issues, are not immediate priorities in acute stroke evaluation.

Choice D rationale

While assessing dysphagia is critical post-stroke, it is not a priority during initial stroke evaluation, which focuses on rapid imaging and differentiation of stroke type. .