Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat – Exam 2 Review Flashcards

Forty question-and-answer flashcards covering key points from the Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat, and related neuro-assessment lecture. Use these to practice for the upcoming exam and physical-assessment check-offs.

What is the primary purpose of the skull?

To protect the brain and associated sensory organs.

Name the four cranial lobes and their general locations.

Occipital (back), Temporal (sides by ears), Frontal (forehead), Parietal (top/upper sides).

Which two facial glands are easily accessible to palpation?

The parotid and submandibular glands.

List the main structures housed within the neck.

Blood vessels, muscles, nerves, trachea, esophagus, and thyroid gland.

When inspecting a trachea, what alignment is considered normal?

Midline position.

State three body functions regulated by the thyroid gland.

Metabolic rate, heat production/temperature control, and reproductive functions (e.g., menstrual cycle or libido).

What is the chief role of the lymphatic system in the head and neck?

To detect and eliminate foreign substances through drainage of lymph fluid.

In pain assessment, what does PQRSTU stand for?

Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Timing, and effect on You.

Which headache type is described as musculoskeletal, vice-like, gradual onset, often triggered by stress or poor posture?

Tension headache.

Rapid-onset throbbing headaches lasting 4–72 hours and relieved by dark rest are characteristic of what?

Migraine headaches.

Name three common migraine aggravating factors.

Hormonal changes, certain foods or hunger, and sleep deprivation (also sensory stimuli or weather changes).

Define presyncope.

A feeling of light-headedness or faintness (a ‘swimming’ sensation).

What is disequilibrium?

An unsteady or off-balance feeling, often related to inner-ear disorders.

Which cranial nerve is tested when asking a patient to identify a familiar smell?

Cranial nerve I – Olfactory.

How is cranial nerve V (Trigeminal) assessed during a facial exam?

Light/sharp touch on the face and assessment of masseter muscle strength.

What facial movements are used to evaluate cranial nerve VII (Facial)?

Ask the patient to smile, frown, puff cheeks, and raise eyebrows.

What does the term "normocephalic" mean?

Having a skull of normal shape and size.

During skull palpation, which fingers are used and what features are assessed?

Use fingertips to assess shape, symmetry, smoothness, and tenderness.

What test assesses cranial nerve II using a Snellen chart?

Visual acuity test performed at 20 feet.

Explain a 20/30 Snellen result.

The patient sees at 20 ft what a person with normal vision sees at 30 ft (decreased acuity).

Which three cranial nerves control extra-ocular muscle movement?

Cranial nerves III (Oculomotor), IV (Trochlear), and VI (Abducens).

How are the six cardinal fields of gaze performed?

Patient follows a pen/target with eyes only as examiner traces six positions (an “H” pattern).

Define direct and consensual pupillary light reflexes.

Direct: illuminated pupil constricts; Consensual: the opposite pupil constricts simultaneously.

What does the acronym PERRLA represent?

Pupils Equal, Round, React to Light and Accommodation.

What eye movement demonstrates accommodation?

Convergence of both eyes toward the nose when focusing on a near object.

Which test compares examiner and patient peripheral vision fields?

Confrontation test.

Give two age-related eye changes that can impair safety.

Need for more light due to decreased adaptation to darkness and slower accommodation, increasing fall risk.

Name four common causes of decreased visual function in older adults.

Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.

Describe exophthalmos and its usual endocrine cause.

Protruding ‘bug’ eyes often caused by hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease).

Which condition produces unilateral facial droop due to cranial nerve VII dysfunction?

Bell’s palsy.

Contrast infection versus malignancy findings in lymph nodes.

Infection: bilateral, tender, movable, usually

Which lymph node is located just in front of the ear?

Pre-auricular lymph node.

Where is the supraclavicular lymph node found?

Above and behind the clavicle at the sternomastoid muscle.

If an enlarged, tender occipital node is discovered, what should the nurse assess next?

Inspect and palpate the scalp for signs of infection.

Why should you never palpate both carotid arteries simultaneously?

It may reduce cerebral blood flow and cause the patient to faint.

How should the top of the auricle align with eye landmarks in a normal ear?

At or above the level of the outer canthus of the eye.

Describe the whisper test for hearing acuity.

With one ear occluded, examiner whispers 2–3 words from behind; patient repeats them to confirm hearing.

What is presbycusis?

Age-related, gradual, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss of high-frequency sounds.

Define mydriasis and miosis.

Mydriasis: abnormally dilated pupils; Miosis: abnormally constricted pupils.

How should the acronym be written if accommodation was NOT tested?

PERL (Pupils Equal, Round, React to Light).