Neurological and Musculoskeletal Care Flashcards
6 cards from real CMSRN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Neurological and Musculoskeletal Care flashcards as text
A nurse is providing discharge education to a patient prescribed oral prednisone for rheumatoid arthritis. Which instruction is most important?
Answer: Do not stop the medication abruptly
Long-term corticosteroid use suppresses adrenal function; abrupt discontinuation can cause adrenal crisis, so tapering under physician guidance is essential.
The nurse is caring for a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) who is experiencing an exacerbation. Which intervention addresses fatigue, the most common MS symptom?
Answer: Plan rest periods between activities and prioritize energy conservation
Energy conservation techniques and scheduled rest periods help MS patients manage fatigue, which is exacerbated by overexertion and heat.
A patient is admitted with acute exacerbation of gout. Which dietary teaching is most appropriate?
Answer: Limit high-purine foods such as red meat, shellfish, and alcohol
High-purine foods elevate uric acid levels, which precipitate gout attacks; dietary restriction of these foods helps reduce the frequency of exacerbations.
Which nursing intervention is the priority for a patient who has just returned from surgery for an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of a tibial fracture?
Answer: Perform neurovascular checks every 1–2 hours
Frequent neurovascular assessments after ORIF detect early signs of compartment syndrome, vascular injury, or nerve damage, which are the most serious post-operative complications.
A patient with myasthenia gravis is admitted for a myasthenic crisis. Which clinical manifestation differentiates a myasthenic crisis from a cholinergic crisis?
Answer: Muscle weakness responds to edrophonium (Tensilon) test — improvement indicates myasthenic crisis
In the Tensilon test, improvement in muscle strength indicates myasthenic crisis (under-medication), while worsening indicates cholinergic crisis (over-medication).
A patient with a seizure disorder is in active status epilepticus. After ensuring airway patency, which medication does the nurse anticipate administering first?
Answer: IV lorazepam or diazepam
Benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam or diazepam IV) are the first-line emergency treatment for status epilepticus due to their rapid onset in terminating seizure activity.