1
Head, Neck, And Neurological Test Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified
What does it mean if a client’s pupils are fixed and dilated?✔✔Possible brain herniation or severe neurological damage
How does a nurse assess cranial nerve III (Oculomotor)?✔✔By checking pupil response to light and ability to move eyes up, down, and medially
What does the presence of ptosis (drooping eyelid) suggest?✔✔Oculomotor nerve dysfunction or neurological damage
What is the normal finding for cranial nerve IX (Glossopharyngeal)?✔✔Client can swallow and has an intact gag reflex
What assessment technique checks cranial nerve X (Vagus)?✔✔Ask the client to say “ah” and observe uvula movement
- / 3
2
What does a hoarse or weak voice suggest during cranial nerve testing?✔✔Possible vagus nerve impairment
What is the purpose of asking a client to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line?✔✔To assess coordination and balance, testing cerebellar function
What does it indicate if a client cannot maintain balance with eyes closed during the Romberg test?✔✔Positive Romberg, suggesting proprioceptive or vestibular dysfunction
What is the expected finding for cranial nerve VIII (Vestibulocochlear)?✔✔Client can hear whispered words and maintain balance
What does it mean if a client turns their entire body to follow a sound?✔✔Possible hearing loss or cranial nerve VIII damage
What part of the brain controls voluntary movement?✔✔Frontal lobe of the cerebrum 2 / 3
3
What part of the brain regulates vital functions like heart rate and breathing?✔✔Brainstem
What condition is suggested by severe headache, stiff neck, and photophobia?✔✔Possible meningitis
What does it indicate if a client has difficulty naming objects?✔✔Possible damage to the language centers of the brain
How should the nurse assess for facial symmetry?✔✔Ask the client to smile, frown, and raise eyebrows
What is a sign of facial nerve paralysis?✔✔One side of the face does not move during facial expressions
What is an early warning sign of a neurological change?✔✔Sudden confusion or disorientation
- / 3
