Seizure Disorders and Epilepsy Management Flashcards
6 cards from real CNRN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Seizure Disorders and Epilepsy Management flashcards as text
Before administering IV phenytoin, the nurse must flush the IV line with:
Answer: Normal saline (0.9% NaCl)
Phenytoin is incompatible with dextrose-containing solutions and must be administered with and flushed using normal saline only.
Which postictal finding is highly suggestive that a patient just experienced a tonic-clonic seizure rather than a syncopal episode?
Answer: Todd's paralysis (transient focal weakness)
Todd's paralysis — transient focal weakness lasting minutes to hours after a seizure — strongly suggests preceding focal motor or tonic-clonic seizure activity.
A patient with a new diagnosis of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) asks about seizure triggers. The nurse teaches that the most common trigger is:
Answer: Sleep deprivation, particularly upon awakening
Seizures in JME are most commonly triggered by sleep deprivation and occur characteristically in the morning upon awakening.
Which antiseizure medication is absolutely contraindicated in women of childbearing age with epilepsy due to the highest teratogenic risk?
Answer: Valproic acid (valproate)
Valproic acid carries the highest teratogenic risk among antiseizure medications, with major congenital malformations and neurodevelopmental effects in offspring.
The nurse is preparing seizure precautions for a patient admitted with new-onset seizures. Which intervention is included in standard seizure precautions?
Answer: Keep padded side rails raised and suction at bedside
Padded side rails, suction at bedside, and supplemental oxygen are components of standard seizure precautions to maintain safety and airway.
A patient with epilepsy is prescribed a ketogenic diet. The nurse understands this diet works primarily by:
Answer: Producing ketone bodies that have antiseizure effects
The ketogenic diet induces a state of ketosis; ketone bodies have antiseizure effects through multiple mechanisms including altered neuronal metabolism.