Check out this cranial nerves chart for assessment in nursing! Assessment of the cranial nerves provides insightful and vital information about
the patient’s nervous system. There are 12 cranial nerves that are often forgotten by nurses, so with that in mind, here’s a free assessment form that you can use! Listed below is a chart of the 12 cranial nerves, the assessment technique used, if the response elicited is normal, and how to document it. I: Olfactory
II: Optic
III: Oculomotor
IV: Trochlear
V: Trigeminal
VI: Abducens
VII: Facial
VIII: Vestibulocochlear
IX: Glossopharyngeal
X: Vagus
XI: Accessory
XII: Hypoglossal
In this section, you can download the cranial nerves cheat sheet. To download, simply click on the image and save. Please feel free to use and share! Originally published on January 3, 2012. Matt Vera is a registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing since 2009 and is currently working as a full-time writer and editor for Nurseslabs. During his time as a student, he knows how frustrating it is to cram on difficult nursing topics. Finding help online is nearly impossible. His situation drove his passion for helping student nurses by creating content and lectures that are easy to digest. Knowing how valuable nurses are in delivering quality healthcare but limited in number, he wants to educate and inspire nursing students. As a nurse educator since 2010, his goal in Nurseslabs is to simplify the learning process, break down complicated topics, help motivate learners, and look for unique ways of assisting students in mastering core nursing concepts effectively. How should the nurse assess the patients trigeminal and facial nerve function?Cranial nerve V (trigeminal)
To assess the sensory component, instruct the patient to close their eyes, and with a cotton swab lightly touch each of the three bilateral distributions of the nerve. CN V and VII (facial nerve) contribute to the corneal reflex response.
What is the correct method to assess the trigeminal nerve?Test Motor Function:
Perform hand hygiene and have the patient clench their jaw. Palpate the masseter and temporal muscle. Each muscle should feel like a small ball and be equal on both sides. Then have the patient try to open their mouth against resistance and move the jaw from side to side.
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