Assignment 2: Lab Assignment (Optional): Practice Assessment: Neurological NURS 6512N-32

Assignment 2: Lab Assignment (Optional): Practice Assessment: Neurological NURS 6512N-32

S.

CC: “I have a headache around my forehead.”

HPI: J.K.L is a 40-year-old African American female who presents with a complaint of a headache across her forehead for a week. The headache is squeezing and feels like pressure behind the eyes. It is non-radiating. The headache is constant and varies in severity ranging from 2/10 at its best to 8/10 at its worst. It is usually worse in the morning and while bending. Acetaminophen reduces the severity of the headache to 4/10 and occasionally 2/10. It is associated with fever, postnasal drip, nasal congestion, sneezing, and occasional non-productive cough. She takes Sudafed HCL 120 mg every 12 hours to obtain some relief. The symptoms have significantly impaired her concentration at work and made her feel very tired. Finally, she reports a head cold three weeks ago.

Current Medications: Pseudoephedrine 120 mg BID for nasal congestion and acetaminophen for headaches.

Allergies: She has no known food and drug allergies.

Past Medical History: During her last visit to the primary care physician 2 months ago, she was noted to be prehypertensive and was advised on lifestyle modifications. No prior hospitalization. No previous surgeries or blood transfusions.

Social History: She is married with two children both alive and well. She works as a secretary Her husband is a college teacher. She neither drinks alcohol nor smokes tobacco. She does not use marijuana or other illicit drugs. She strictly adheres to dietary advice from her nutritionist and she exercises regularly. Denies caffeine intake.

Family History: Father alive aged 60 years and with hypertension while her mother is 58 years old alive and well. Her brother and sister are 35 and 20 years old respectively, alive and well. Her paternal grandfather died at the age of 80 years due to a heart attack while her paternal grandmother is 78 years and is hypertensive. Her maternal grandfather is 77 years with a history of type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol while her maternal grandmother died at the age of 70 years due to a stroke. No family history of malignancies, mental illness, asthma, sickle cell, or diabetes.

ROS:

GENERAL: Reports fatigue and occasional fever. Denies weight loss, night sweats, and chills.

HEENT:  Reports headaches, nasal congestion, post nasal drip, and sneezing. No blurring of vision, visual loss, hearing loss, tinnitus, nose bleeds, ear pain, mouth sores, or sore throat.

SKIN:  no skin lesion or rashes. No abnormal pigmentation.

CARDIOVASCULAR: Negative for palpitations, chest pain, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and peripheral limb edema.

RESPIRATORY:  Occasional non-productive cough. No difficulty in breathing, dyspnea, or orthopnea.

GASTROINTESTINAL: Reports loss of appetite and occasional nausea and vomiting. Denies change in bowel habits, abdominal pain, or distention.

GENITOURINARY: No frequency, dysuria, nocturia, and polyuria. No vaginal itchiness or abnormal vaginal discharge.

NEUROLOGICAL: Reports headache. Denies dizziness, lightheadedness, numbness, tingling, loss of sensation, syncope, and convulsion.

MUSCULOSKELETAL: No muscle pain, joint pains, muscle weakness, or muscle swelling.

HEMATOLOGIC:  No anemia, easy bruising, or bleeding.

LYMPHATICS: Normal lymph nodes

PSYCHIATRIC:  Denies anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations, or hallucinations.

ENDOCRINOLOGIC: Denies heat or cold intolerance, polyphagia, and polydipsia.

ALLERGIES:  Reports no allergies.

O.

Physical exam:

VITAL SIGNS: BP 125/78 mmHg, HR 88 b/min, Temp 99. 8 F, RR 20 b/min, saturation 95% on room air, Height 168 cm, weight 76 Kg. Pain level 5/10

GENERAL: A middle-aged African-American female, well kempt, not in any form of respiratory distress but slight discomfort. Maintains eye contact, coherent speech, and a stable mood. Well-hydrated and nourished. No palmar or conjunctival pallor, jaundice, central or peripheral cyanosis, cervical or inguinal lymphadenopathy, and peripheral limb edema.

HEENT: Normocephalic and atraumatic head. Non-tender scalp. Bilateral eyes with pink conjunctiva and white sclera. Pupils equally and bilaterally reacting to light, no ptosis or lid edema. Normal extraocular movements. Bilateral ears present, no impaction or skin lesions, tympanic membrane pearly grey bilaterally, and positive white reflex. Both nares are present and are discharging mucus, midline nasal septum, and pink and soft nasal mucosa. Tender maxillary and frontal sinus. Moist and pink oral mucosa, no oral lesions or ulceration. Normal dentition and teeth alignment.

NECK: Soft neck. The trachea is central. Full range of motion, non-tender, no cervical lymphadenopathy, and no thyroid enlargement.

CARDIOVASCULAR: Regular heart rate. Normoactive precordium. Point of maximal impulse in the 5^th intercostal space in the midclavicular line. S1 and S2 head, no murmurs, thrills, gallops, rubs, or heaves.

RESPIRATORY: Symmetrical chest that moves with respiration. No scars or skin lesions. Equal chest expansion and equal tactile fremitus bilaterally. Equal air entry, vesicular breath sounds, no wheezes, and crackles, and equal vocal fremitus in all lung zones.

NEUROLOGICAL: GCS 15/15, oriented to time, place, and person, intact short-term and long-term memory, good concentration, and a clear coherent speech. Cranial nerves 1 to 12 intact. Normotonic across all joints, normal bulk, and power 5/5 across all muscle groups in upper and lower extremities, deep tendon reflexes 2+ and equal bilaterally in upper and lower limbs. Intact monofilament sensation across all dermatomes, good bowel, and bladder function. No spinal tenderness, normal gait, coordination, graphesthesia, and stereognosis. Normal finger nose, heel to the shin, and rapid alternating movements tests.

Diagnostic results:

J.K.L appears to have an inflammatory/infectious condition. Consequently, complete blood count and inflammatory markers particularly CRP and ESR are paramount. Similarly, bacterial or fungal cultures obtained endoscopically or by direct sinus aspiration are required to identify the possible pathogen. Additionally, a skin prick test is essential to exclude allergic rhinitis. Imaging modalities principally Sinus CT and MRI are recommended to evaluate for rhinosinusitis and intraorbital or intracranial involvement.

A.

Differential Diagnoses

Acute Sinusitis- refers to the inflammation of sinuses lasting less than 4 weeks (DeBoer & Kwon, 2022). The condition is more common in females and particularly during early fall to early spring (DeBoer & Kwon, 2022). It is most commonly caused by viral infection following a common cold although bacteria and fungi are not uncommon etiologies. J.K.L presents with clinical features that are typical of acute sinusitis including fatigue, fever, headache, facial pain, and pressure worse on bending (DeBoer & Kwon, 2022). Maxillary sinuses and frontal sinuses appear to be the affected sinuses in her as evidenced by pain around the forehead and tenderness of the maxillary and frontal sinuses (DeBoer & Kwon, 2022).

Rhinitis- Refers to the inflammation of the nasal mucosa. J.K.L presents with clinical manifestations suggestive of rhinitis including sneezing, nasal congestion, postnasal drip, and rhinorrhea (Liva et al., 2021). Similarly, she reports a “head cold” three weeks ago. Rhinitis is mostly caused by an upper respiratory infection or type 1 hypersensitivity reaction (Liva et al., 2021). However, an upper respiratory tract infection is likely the cause in her case.

Cluster headache- Cluster headache is a type of primary headache that is usually unilateral retro-orbital and characterized by sharp and stabbing pain (Goadsby et al., 2018). Cluster headache may present with symptoms of lacrimation, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, ptosis, or miosis (Goadsby et al., 2018). However, it is unlikely the diagnosis in her as cluster headache usually lasts for a brief period. Similarly, cluster headaches mostly awake the patient at night.

Migraine headache- Migraine headache is another type of primary headache that may be preceded with or without aura. It is usually pulsating and moderate to severe (Pescador Ruschel & O, 2022). It is common in young women. However, it is unlikely the diagnosis as migraines last 4 to 72 hours if untreated and are typically associated with nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and phonophobia (Pescador Ruschel & O, 2022).

Rebound headache– Commonly referred to as medication overuse headache. Rebound headache predominantly occurs in individuals with primary headaches who overuse analgesia (Micieli & Robblee, 2018). Rebound headaches are more common in females and individuals less than 50 years. Drugs precipitating this headache include barbiturates, acetaminophen, opioids, ergotamine, and triptans (Micieli & Robblee, 2018). However, this is an unlikely diagnosis in J.K.L as a diagnosis of primary headache hasn’t been established.

Examination

Short of opening a patient's cranium or requesting a brain scan, what can an advanced
practice nurse do to determine the cause of neurological symptoms? A multitude of
techniques can be used to generate a neurological diagnosis.
In preparation for the Comprehensive (Head-to-Toe) Physical Assessment due this
week, it is recommended that you practice performing a neurological examination.
Note: This is an optional practice physical assessment.
To Prepare
 Arrange an appropriate time and setting with a volunteer "patient" to perform a
neurological examination.
 Download and review the Neurological Checklist provided in this week's Learning
Resources as well as review Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination online media.
The Lab Assignment
 Perform the neurological examination. Be sure to cover all of the areas listed in the
checklist and to use the plexor appropriately.

ORDER NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT: Assignment 2: Lab Assignment (Optional): Practice Assessment: Neurological NURS 6512N-32

Assignment 2: Lab Assignment (Optional): Practice Assessment: Neurological NURS 6512N-32

Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W.
(2019). Seidel's guide to physical examination: An interprofessional
approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

 Chapter 7, “Mental Status”
This chapter revolves around the mental status evaluation of an
individual’s overall cognitive state. The chapter includes a list of mental
abnormalities and their symptoms.

 ·Chapter 23, “Neurologic System”
The authors of this chapter explore the anatomy and physiology of the
neurologic system. The authors also describe neurological examinations
and potential findings.
Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2019). Advanced health
assessment and clinical diagnosis in primary care (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier Mosby.
Credit Line: Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care, 6th Edition by Dains, J.E.,
Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. Copyright 2019 by Mosby. Reprinted by permission of Mosby via the Copyright
Clearance Center.

Chapter 4, “Affective Changes”
This chapter outlines how to identify the potential cause of affective
changes in a patient. The authors provide a suggested approach to the
evaluation of this type of change, and they include specific tools that can
be used as part of the diagnosis.
Chapter 9, “Confusion in Older Adults”
This chapter focuses on causes of confusion in older adults, with an
emphasis on dementia. The authors include suggested questions for
taking a focused history as well as what to look for in a physical
examination.
Chapter 13, “Dizziness”
Dizziness can be a symptom of many underlying conditions. This chapter
outlines the questions to ask a patient in taking a focused history and
different tests to use in a physical examination.
Chapter 19, “Headache”
The focus of this chapter is the identification of the causes of headaches.
The first step is to ensure that the headache is not a life-threatening
condition. The authors give suggestions for taking a thorough history and
performing a physical exam.
Chapter 31, “Sleep Problems”
In this chapter, the authors highlight the main causes of sleep problems.
They also provide possible questions to use in taking the patient’s history,
things to look for when performing a physical exam, and possible
laboratory and diagnostic studies that might be useful in making the
diagnosis.
Sullivan, D. D. (2019). Guide to clinical documentation (3rd ed.).
Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.
 Chapter 2, "The Comprehensive History and Physical Exam" ("Cranial
Nerves and Their Function" and "Grading Reflexes") (Previously read in
Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 5)
Note: Download the Physical Examination Objective Data Checklist to use
as you complete the Comprehensive (Head-to-Toe) Physical Assessment
assignment.
Seidel, H. M., Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., &
Stewart, R. W. (2011). Physical examination objective data checklist. In
Mosby’s guide to physical examination (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier
Mosby.

Credit Line: Mosby’s Guide to Physical Examination, 7th Edition by Seidel, H. M., Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A.,
Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. Copyright 2011 by Elsevier. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier via the Copyright Clearance
Center.
Note: Download and review the Student Checklists and Key Points to use
during your practice neurological examination.
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W.
(2019). Neurologic system: Student checklist. In Seidel's guide to physical
examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier Mosby.
Credit Line: Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination, 9th Edition by Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., &
Stewart, R. W. Copyright 2019 by Elsevier Health Sciences. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Health Sciences via the
Copyright Clearance Center.
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W.
(2019). Neurologic system: Key points. In Seidel's guide to physical
examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier Mosby.
Credit Line: Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination, 9th Edition by Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., &
Stewart, R. W. Copyright 2019 by Elsevier Health Sciences. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Health Sciences via the
Copyright Clearance Center.
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W.
(2019). Mental status: Student checklist. In Seidel's guide to physical
examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier Mosby.
Credit Line: Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination, 9th Edition by Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., &
Stewart, R. W. Copyright 2019 by Elsevier Health Sciences. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Health Sciences via the
Copyright Clearance Center.

Bearden , S. T., & Nay, L. B. (2011). Utility of EEG in differential diagnosis
of adults with unexplained acute alteration of mental status. American
Journal of Electroneurodiagnostic Technology, 51(2), 92–104.
This article reviews the use of electrocenographs (EEG) to
assist in differential diagnoses. The authors provide differential
diagnostic scenarios in which the EEG was useful.

Athilingam, P ., Visovsky, C., & Elliott, A. F. (2015). Cognitive screening in
persons with chronic diseases in primary care: Challenges and
recommendations for practice. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease &
Other Dementias, 30(6), 547–558. doi:10.1177/1533317515577127

Sinclair , A. J., Gadsby, R., Hillson, R., Forbes, A., & Bayer, A. J. (2013).
Brief report: Use of the Mini-Cog as a screening tool for cognitive

impairment in diabetes in primary care. Diabetes Research and Clinical
Practice, 100(1), e23–e25. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2013.01.001

Roalf, D. R., Moberg, P. J., Xei, S. X., Wolk, D. A., Moelter, S. T., &
Arnold, S. E. (2013). Comparative accuracies of two common screening
instruments for classification of Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive
impairment, and healthy aging. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 9(5), 529–537.
doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2012.10.001. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4036230/
Shadow Health Support and Orientation Resources
Use the following resources to guide you through your Shadow Health orientation
as well as other support resources:
Frey, C. [Chris Frey]. (2015, September 4). Student orientation [Video file].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfd_8pTJBkY
Shadow Health. (n.d.). Shadow Health help desk. Retrieved
from https://support.shadowhealth.com/hc/en-us
Document: Shadow Health. (2014). Useful tips and tricks (Version 2)
(PDF)
Document: Student Acknowledgement Form (Word document)
Note: You will sign and date this form each time you complete your DCE
Assignment in Shadow Health to acknowledge your commitment to
Walden University’s Code of Conduct.
Document: DCE (Shadow Health) Documentation Template for
Comprehensive (Head-to-Toe) Physical Assessment (Word document)
Use this template to complete your Assignment 3 for this week.
Optional Resources
LeBlond, R. F., Brown, D. D., & DeGowin, R. L. (2014). DeGowin’s
diagnostic examination (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Medical.

 Chapter 14, “The Neurologic Examination” (pp. 683–765)
This chapter provides an overview of the nervous system. The authors
also explain the basics of neurological exams.
 Chapter 15, “Mental Status, Psychiatric, and Social Evaluations” (pp.
766–786)
In this chapter, the authors provide a list of common psychiatric
syndromes. The authors also explain the mental, psychiatric, and social
evaluation process.
Mahlknecht, P., Hotter, A., Hussl, A., Esterhammer, R., Schockey, M., &
Seppi, K. (2010). Significance of MRI in diagnosis and differential
diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Neurodegenerative Diseases, 7(5),
300–318.
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)

Online media for Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination
It is highly recommended that you access and view the resources included with the
course text, Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination. Focus on the videos and
animations in Chapters 7 and 23 that relate to the assessment of cognition and the
neurologic system. Refer to the Week 4 Learning Resources area for access instructions
on  https://evolve.elsevier.com/