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Spinal Cord Injury NCLEX Questions Overview

Spinal cord injuries present intricate and critical medical challenges that necessitate a thorough understanding from healthcare practitioners, particularly nurses. Whether you're a nursing student or a professional preparing for the NCLEX, a solid grasp of spinal cord injury intricacies is essential for delivering safe and efficient care to affected patients.

Spinal cord injury NCLEX questions are crafted to test your understanding, critical thinking, and clinical decision-making skills. These practice questions often simulate real-life scenarios, prompting you to apply theoretical knowledge to practical contexts. By practicing these questions, you can pinpoint both areas of proficiency and areas that may benefit from an additional review.

Here are key areas where Spinal cord injury NCLEX questions come from:

• Anatomy and physiology: A thorough comprehension of the spinal cord's anatomy, functions, and sensory-motor pathways is essential for understanding how injuries affect patients' physical capabilities.
• Spinal cord injury types: To pass Spinal cord injury, NCLEX questions to become acquainted with the different classifications of spinal cord injuries, including distinctions between complete and incomplete injuries and the resulting neurological impairments.
• Clinical manifestations: Understanding the signs and symptoms of spinal cord injuries at various levels is crucial for promptly identifying them and implementing suitable interventions.
• Complications and risks: Recognize potential complications stemming from spinal cord injuries, such as autonomic dysreflexia, pressure sores, respiratory challenges, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
• Collaborative care: Understand the interdisciplinary collaboration necessary for managing spinal cord injuries, which involves coordination among physical therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, and other healthcare team members.
• Nursing interventions: Gain insight into the nursing interventions necessary for effectively managing patients with spinal cord injuries, encompassing tasks such as correct positioning, skincare, facilitating mobility, and addressing bowel and bladder needs

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Examples in Questions

1. A patient with a spinal cord injury at the C5 level presents with a sudden onset of pounding headache, profuse sweating above the level of injury, and severe hypertension. Which of these interventions is the priority?

A) Administering pain medication

B) Initiating passive range of motion exercises

C) Checking for bladder distension and performing catheterization

D) Elevating the patient's legs to promote venous return

Correct Answer: C) Checking for bladder distension and performing catheterization

Rationale: The patient is exhibiting signs of autonomic dysreflexia, a potentially life-threatening complication of spinal cord injury, characterized by a sudden onset of pounding headache, profuse sweating, and severe hypertension above the level of injury. Bladder distension is a common trigger for autonomic dysreflexia in patients with spinal cord injuries. Therefore, the priority intervention is to assess for bladder distension and perform catheterization to alleviate the triggering stimulus and prevent further complications.

• Option A: Administering pain medication may be necessary after identifying and addressing the underlying cause of autonomic dysreflexia, but it is not the priority intervention.
• Option B: Initiating passive range of motion exercises is not indicated as it does not address the immediate concern of autonomic dysreflexia.
• Option D: Elevating the patient's legs may worsen autonomic dysreflexia by increasing venous return and exacerbating hypertension. Therefore, it is not the appropriate intervention in this situation.

2. Which of the following nursing interventions is essential for preventing pressure ulcers in a patient with a spinal cord injury?

A) Applying moisturizing lotion to intact skin

B) Repositioning the patient every 4 hours

C) Massaging bony prominences to promote circulation

D) Using donut-shaped cushions under bony areas

Correct Answer: B) Repositioning the patient every 4 hours

Rationale: Patients with spinal cord injuries are at high risk for pressure ulcers due to decreased mobility and sensation. Repositioning the patient every 2 hours, or at least every 4 hours, helps redistribute pressure, relieve pressure on bony prominences, and prevent pressure ulcers.

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3. A patient with a spinal cord injury at the T6 level presents to the emergency department with a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain, distended abdomen, and absent bowel sounds. The patient reports no recent changes in diet or activity level. Vital signs are within normal limits. Which of the below assessments should the nurse prioritize?

A) Performing a thorough neurological assessment

B) Obtaining a complete medical history, including recent surgeries

C) Initiating immediate interventions to manage the abdominal pain

D) Assessing for signs of autonomic dysreflexia

Correct Answer: D) Assessing for signs of autonomic dysreflexia

Rationale: The patient's symptoms of severe abdominal pain, distended abdomen, and absent bowel sounds, in the absence of recent changes in diet or activity level, raise concern for a potential complication of autonomic dysreflexia. Autonomic dysreflexia is a medical emergency in patients with spinal cord injuries, characterized by a sudden onset of severe hypertension, pounding headache, and profuse sweating above the level of injury, often triggered by stimuli such as bladder distension or bowel impaction. Therefore, the priority assessment is to rule out autonomic dysreflexia and initiate appropriate interventions to prevent further complications.