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OMSB Neurological Nursing Practice Questions
Neurological questions test neuro observations and recognising emergencies such as stroke, raised intracranial pressure and seizures. Below are 5 free sample questions for the OMSB nursing exam, each with the answer and a rationale.
What this topic covers
- Glasgow Coma Scale and pupil checks
- Stroke recognition and swallow screening
- Raised ICP and Cushing's triad
- Seizure safety and status epilepticus
- Spinal cord injury and autonomic dysreflexia
- Meningitis and Guillain-Barré
The full bank has 80 neurological nursing questions, part of 1,500 questions across 16 nursing topics.
Free OMSB neurological nursing questions
1. How does weakness usually progress in Guillain-Barré syndrome?
- A. Descending weakness starting in the face
- B. Ascending weakness starting in the legs and moving upwards
- C. Weakness confined to the eyes
- D. Weakness that affects only one side of the body
Show answer and rationale
Guillain-Barré syndrome typically causes symmetrical ascending weakness with reduced or absent reflexes, often after an infection.
Reference: Lewis Medical-Surgical Nursing – Guillain-Barré syndrome
2. BE-FAST adds two features to the FAST stroke tool. What do 'B' and 'E' represent?
- A. Bleeding and Extremity pain
- B. Blood pressure and Electrolytes
- C. Breathing and Eye opening
- D. Balance loss and Eye (vision) changes
Show answer and rationale
BE-FAST adds sudden loss of Balance and Eye or vision changes to Face, Arm, Speech, and Time, improving detection of posterior circulation strokes.
Reference: Stroke recognition – BE-FAST
3. A patient with right-sided hemiplegia needs help putting on a shirt. How should the nurse teach the patient to dress?
- A. Put the left (unaffected) arm into the sleeve first
- B. Put both arms in at the same time
- C. Avoid shirts with sleeves until strength returns
- D. Put the right (affected) arm into the sleeve first
Show answer and rationale
Clothing is put on the affected limb first and taken off the unaffected limb first, which makes dressing easier.
Reference: Potter & Perry – hygiene and dressing
4. Which finding is associated with a basal skull fracture?
- A. Swelling of both ankles
- B. Bruising behind the ear over the mastoid (Battle's sign)
- C. Bilateral pinpoint pupils
- D. Unilateral facial droop that resolves within an hour
Show answer and rationale
Battle's sign (mastoid bruising) and periorbital bruising ('raccoon eyes') are signs of basal skull fracture, along with CSF leak from the nose or ear.
Reference: Lewis Medical-Surgical Nursing – head injury
5. A patient with a T2 spinal cord injury has signs of autonomic dysreflexia. The nurse has sat the patient upright. What is the next action?
- A. Give an oral sedative
- B. Encourage the patient to rest and recheck in one hour
- C. Apply compression stockings
- D. Check the urinary catheter for kinks or blockage
Show answer and rationale
After positioning upright and loosening tight clothing, the nurse quickly removes the trigger, starting with checking for bladder distension or a blocked catheter.
Reference: Lewis Medical-Surgical Nursing – autonomic dysreflexia
Study tip
A falling GCS or new pupil change is almost always the finding to report first.
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