The Emergency Department nurse is expecting a patient with a spinal cord transection at C1. Which of the following assessments take priority upon the patient's arrival? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)
Blood pressure
Bladder function
Heart rate
Reflexes
Respirations
Correct Answer : A,C,E
A. Blood pressure monitoring is essential, as spinal cord injuries at high levels can cause disruptions in autonomic regulation, leading to significant blood pressure fluctuations.
B. Bladder function is impacted by spinal cord injuries; however, it is not the initial priority in an emergency setting when life-threatening complications must be managed first.
C. Heart rate is critical as high spinal cord injuries can impact cardiac function by affecting autonomic control, potentially leading to bradycardia.
D. Reflexes are often assessed in cases of spinal injury, but they are not the immediate priority when stabilizing the patient upon arrival.
E. Respirations are a priority, as a C1 spinal cord injury can compromise respiratory function, necessitating immediate assessment to ensure adequate oxygenation and airway management.
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Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. The occipital lobe primarily processes visual information and is less involved in object identification errors.
B. The frontal lobe governs behavior, personality, and decision-making rather than object identification.
C. The parietal lobe is involved in processing sensory information and object recognition. Misidentifying objects can indicate damage to this area of the brain.
D. The temporal lobe is associated with auditory processing and memory, not typically object recognition errors.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. A hearing test does not address the infection symptoms and would not be the priority.
B. Obtaining a culture of the drainage is necessary to identify any infection and guide appropriate antibiotic treatment.
C. Removing a foreign body may not be relevant and could worsen infection symptoms if not necessary.
D. A CT scan may be needed if further complications are suspected, but it is not the priority for infection symptoms.