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NUR2020 - FINAL EXAM Questions With
Correct Answers
Definition of a chronic condition - answer✔Illness or impairment that is permanent, leaves
residual disability, nonreversible, and requires a long period of supervision/observation/care
Major characteristics of a chronic condition - answer✔- intermittent with flare ups or
continuous is some cases
- may be cancer or of a noncancer origin
- can persist througout life
- features regardless of condition: pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, difficulty adjusting,
uncertainty
- can be controlled but not cured
Impact of chronic illness on healthcare - answer✔- Leading cause of death & disability in US is
chronic conditions
- Chronic diseases/conditions are the most common, preventable, & expensive of all health
problems (heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis)
- 86% of all health care spending is related to chronic disease
- Risks for polypharmacy, adverse medication effects, conflicting medication advice
- Cost of care increases with number of conditions
Preventable causes of chronic conditions - answer✔Obesity, lack of exercise, poor nutrition,
tobacco use, excessive alcohol use
illness-wellness continuum - answer✔a model that illustrates the full range of health between
the extremes of illness and wellness
Both chronic and acute conditions can vary on this continuum - people with chronic can also
develop acute (such as an asthmatic having an asthma attack) - NOT ALL CHRONIC
CONDITIONS RESULT IN DISABILITY and not all disabilities are from chronic conditions
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What is primary prevention? - answer✔measures to decrease the incidence of disease
Examples: Vaccines, teaching SCI injury/head injury prevention - don't drink and drive, wear
helmets, fall prevention, protective devices when playing spurts
What is secondary prevention? - answer✔treating or controlling a disease or condition after it
occurs
Examples: Screening to detect early stage cancer
What is tertiary prevention? - answer✔REHABILITATION and monitoring of health to
prevent complications or further illness, injury, or disability
Keep things from getting worse, preventing complications and further damage
Examples: support groups, insulin management
How does tertiary prevention correlate with goals of rehab? - answer✔Tertiary prevention is the
management of long-term disease, injurt, or illness - focuses on controlling CHRONIC effects of
a health issue that has already occured & restoring that individual back to optimal function,
teaching self-care
Rehababilition means to "make able again" - learning or relearning skills and abilities and
adjsuting to existing function to reach max potential - goal oriented process for people with
disability or chronic conditions
REHAB = TERTIARY PREVENTION
What is self-efficacy? - answer✔Individual's belief that they have the capacity to do what they
need to do to reach specific goals
Nursing interventions for rehabilitation - answer✔- Assessing patient's functional ability:
ability to perform ADLs (eating, toileting, dressing, transferring, and personal hygiene) AND
instrumental activities of daily level/IADLs (grocery shopping, meal prep, financial mgmt.,
medication mgmt, transportation)
- Recommend adaptive & assistive devices
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- Provide optimal learning environment
- Assist with correct positioning to prevent musculosketal complications
- Perform ROM exercises
- Assist patients with transfers
What does a certified registered rehabilitation nurse (CRRN) do? - answer✔Specializes in
helping people with disabilities & chronic illness attain optimal function, health, and adapt to a
new alterered lifestyle
What is a physiatrist? - answer✔a physician who specializes in rehab medicine
What is a physical therapist? - answer✔PT focuses on improving patient's ability to MOVE
Teaches skills such as transfers, strength training, using assistive devices
What is an occupational therapist? - answer✔OT focuses on improving patient's ability to
perform ADLs
Example - Screens, tests, recommends feedings for dysphagia
What is a speech & language pathologist? - answer✔Evaluates and diagnoses speech, language,
communication, and swallowing disorders
What is the most common cause of a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)? - answer✔TRAUMA = motor
vehicle collision, fall, violence, sports injury
Complete vs. incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) - answer✔Complete - the spinal cord
damage eliminates all innervation (supply of nerves) below that level of injury
INcomplete - allows for some function/movement below the level of injury - MORE COMMON
THAN COMPLETE
Primary vs. Secondary Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) - answer✔- primary: immediate, irreversible
loss of sensation and motion. due to mechanical trauma
- secondary: occurs after initial injury, caused by swelling, ischemia, contusion or movement of
bone fragments: secondary is the main focus for nurses because they can still treat this and
prevent total and permanent damage
What are the four types of incomplete SCIs? - answer✔Central cord syndrome (most common),
lateral cord syndrome, anterior cord syndrome, peripheral cord syndrome
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What is central cord syndrome? - answer✔Damage to the central part of the spinal cord
resulting in greater weakness in UEs than in LEs, variable bowel & bladder dysfunction
Common in elderly, typically from a fall with hyperextension
Most common Incomplete SCI
What is anterior cord syndrome? - answer✔Worst prognosis for recovery of all the Incomplete
SCIs
Damage to anterior portion of spinal cord usually caused by hyperflexion- causes complete lost
of movement, pain and temp loss - preserves light touch sensation
What is posterior cord syndrome? - answer✔Damage to posterior portion of spinal cord -
opposite of anterior cord syndrome - light touch sensations are lost, but movement, pain, and
temp sensations are kept
What is Brown-Sequard syndrome? - answer✔A hemisection lesion of the cord resulting in loss
of motor control on the side of the injury and loss of sensation on the opposite side
Usually caused by a penetrating injury like a bullet or knife wound
What is Conus Medullaris Cord syndrome? - answer✔Caused by compressive damage from
T12-L2; Variable lower extremity loss of function; flaccid anal spincter & bladder (can't usually
tell when you have to go)
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale? - answer✔Initial LOC assessment - score ranges from 3
(brain dead, deep coma) to 15 (normal, fully responsive)
Eye opening response: Spontaneous (4), to voice (3), to pain (2), none
Best verbal resonse: Oriented (5), Confused (4), Inappropriate words (3), Incomprehensible
sounds (2), or none (1)
Best motor resposne: Obeys command (6), localizes pain (5), withdraws (4), flexion (3),
extension (2), none (1)
