Faculty of Nursing-IUG

Chapter (13)Assessment of Neurological system

Assess this system when doing physical examination e.g. cranial nerve function can be testing during the survey of the head and neck.

The neurological assessment consists of six parts: (mental status, cranial nerves, sensory functions, motor function, cerebellar function, reflexes).

Subjective data: Loss of consciousness, dizziness, and fainting.Headache: precipitating factors and duration.Numbness and tingling or paralysis or neuralgia.Loss of memory, confusion, visual loss, blurring, and

pain.Facial pain, weakness, twitching, speech problems e.g.

aphasia.Swallowing problems and drooling.Neck weakness or spasm 2

Mental and emotional Mental and emotional status is observed as the

nursing history is collected, and by simply interacting with client, e.g. “Nursing care plan”

Level of consciousnessLevel of consciousness ranges from full a

wakening, “alertness” to unresponsiveness to any form of external stimuli.

Alert client responds to questions spontaneously.Assess level of consciousness by using Glasgow

coma scale

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Glasgow coma scale

Assessment of behavior and Appearance Behavior, mood, hygiene, grooming and choice of dress

reveal pertinent information about client’s mental status.

Appearance reflects how a client feels about the self.Personal hygiene such as unkempt hair, a dirty body, or

broken, dirty fingernails should be noted. Language: Assess ability of individual to understand

spoken or written words & how he speak or writes.Assess intellectual function, which includes: memory

“recent, immediate, past”, knowledge, abstract thinking, association and judgment.

Assess for sensory function:Assess sensitivity to light touch “cotton”Assess sensitivity to pain “pinprick” Assess sensitivity to vibrations “tuning fork” Assess sensitivity to positions.Don’t forget comparing both sides of body.5