NUR 210 – Mental Status, Neurological & GU / Functional Assessment

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key neurological, mental-status, genitourinary, and functional-assessment concepts from Week 7 lecture notes.

A & O × 4

Alert and Oriented to person, place, time, and situation.

Somnolent

Drowsy; not fully alert, drifts to sleep without stimulation, slow responses.

Lethargic

Not fully alert; sleepy but arousable, responds slowly when stimulated.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

Standard tool for quantifying level of consciousness using eye, verbal, and motor responses.

Orientation Assessment

Evaluates awareness of person, place, time, and situation.

Cranial Nerve Examination

Assesses function of 12 cranial nerves to detect brain disorders.

Cerebellar Function Tests

Include rapid alternating movements, finger-nose-finger, heel-to-shin, gait, and Romberg.

Rapid Alternating Movement (RAM)

Patient quickly alternates palm and dorsum or touches thumb to each finger; slowed in cerebellar disease.

Finger-Nose-Finger Test

Patient alternates touching own nose and examiner’s finger to evaluate coordination.

Heel-to-Shin Test

Patient runs heel down opposite shin to assess lower-extremity coordination.

Normal Gait

Smooth, rhythmic, effortless walking with opposing arm swing.

Heel-to-Toe (Tandem) Walk

Balance test where patient walks placing heel directly in front of toes.

Romberg Test

Patient stands with eyes closed; loss of balance indicates cerebellar or vestibular deficit.

Stereognosis

Ability to identify an object by touch without visual input.

Deep Tendon Reflex (DTR)

Involuntary muscle contraction evoked by tendon tap; assesses spinal reflex arc.

Biceps Reflex

C5-C6 reflex causing forearm flexion when biceps tendon is tapped.

Quadriceps (Patellar) Reflex

L2-L4 reflex causing leg extension after patellar tendon strike.

Plantar Reflex (Babinski)

Stroke sole; normal adult response is toe flexion, abnormal is great-toe dorsiflexion and fanning.

Positive Babinski in Adult

Dorsiflexion of great toe and fanning toes; suggests upper motor neuron lesion.

Pronator Drift

Downward unilateral drift and forearm pronation, seen with mild hemiparesis.

Right Hemispheric Stroke

May cause slurred speech and weakness of left leg or left side.

Cerebellar Disease

Produces ataxia and slowed rapid alternating movements on affected side.

Hyperreflexia

Exaggerated reflexes associated with upper motor neuron lesions.

Hyporeflexia

Diminished reflexes linked to lower motor neuron lesions.

Head Lag in Newborn

Head falls forward when pulled to sit; normal until about 4 months.

Senile Tremor

Benign, rhythmic tremor in older adults, sometimes of hands, head, or voice.

FAST Stroke Acronym

Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.

Delirium

Acute, reversible confusion with fluctuating consciousness and mood swings.

Dementia

Chronic, progressive loss of cognitive function, memory, and judgment.

Hemiparesis

Weakness on one side of the body, usually from stroke or brain injury on opposite side.

Testicular Self-Examination (TSE)

Monthly exam in warm shower to detect painless lumps or changes in testes.

Colonoscopy Screening

Recommended every 10 years starting at age 45 for average-risk adults.

Pap Test

Cervical cytology every 3 years for women 21-29 to screen for cancer.

Co-test (Pap + HPV)

Combined screening every 5 years for women 30-65.

Gardasil-9 Vaccine

HPV vaccine for ages 11-12 (up to 26; some to 45) in two doses 6-12 months apart.

Cloudy Urine

May indicate urinary tract infection or kidney stones.

Tea-Colored Urine

Suggests liver disease or presence of blood.

Hematuria

Red or pink urine from blood; danger sign of infection, stones, or cancer.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Basic self-care tasks: eating, bathing, grooming, toileting, walking, stair use.

Instrumental ADLs (IADLs)

Independent living skills: shopping, cooking, housekeeping, laundry, finances, meds, transport, phone.

Timed Get Up and Go Test

Assesses mobility and fall risk; >12 seconds signals increased risk.

Exercise Recommendation for Older Adults

150 minutes/week moderate aerobic plus muscle-strengthening twice weekly.