PNUR104 - W11D1 : Sensory Reception

What is sensory reception?

Receiving stimuli through the senses (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile)

What sense is affected when someone is paralyzed?

Tactile

How do people compensate for sensory loss?

By relying more on other senses

Define presbycusis

inability to hear high pitched sounds in the elderly

What is delirium?

acute disturbance of consciousness with inattention, disorganized thinking, hallucinations, agitation

Most common causes of vision loss in Canada (4 options):

• age related macular degeneration (AMD): takes place in central vision (can only see what’s around), impacts the macula of the eye, irreversible

• cataracts: cloudy film over the iris (reversible)

• Diabetic Retinopathy: impacts the retina of the eye (irreversible)

• glaucoma: loss of peripheral vision (looking side to side) impacts the optic nerve of the eye, irreversible, but may be slowed down

What is reception in sensory function?

Receiving stimuli from external senses (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile) and internal senses (kinesthetics)

What is kinesthetic sense?

Awareness of body position and movement

What is disorientation?

When a person isn’t oriented to a person, place or time

What is visceral sense?

Being aware of organ functions (full bladder, empty stomach so hunger)

What is stereognosis

The ability to identify objects by touch without seeing them

What are some factors that affect sensory function?

• smoking

• stress

• sugar

Which system in the brain controls arousal and wakefulness?

The Reticular Activating System (RAS)

What is reaction in sensory processing?

Deciding which stimuli to respond to; ignoring unimportant or repetitive stimuli

What indicated full consciousness?

• alert

• oriented to person/place/time

• understands verbal & written words

What is semocomatose?

Responding only to painful stimuli

What is coma?

No purposeful response, may show atypical posturing to deep pain

How does sudden sensory loss affect clients?

Causes disorientation (ex: sudden blindless = bumping into objects)

What is uncompensated sensory loss?

When a client has sensory impairment, but does not use their aids (ex: no glasses, dead hearing aid battery)

Cognitive effects of sensory deprivation?

Reduced learning, poor problem solving, confusion, disorientation

Behavioural signs of sensory deprivation?

Yawning, drowsiness, crying, depression

What is sensory overload?

Too much/intense sensory input meaning inability to process stimuli

Internal and External causes of sensory overload?

• Internal: pain, anxiety, dyspnea

• External: noise, alarms, strangers, busy environment

Signs of sensory overload:

irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness, decreased problem solving, racing thoughts

Who is at risk for sensory deprivation?

Isolated clients, visually/hearing impaired, mobility-restricted, cognitively impaired, withdrawn individuals, limited social contact