2024 PN NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question
A nurse is preparing to assess the function of a client's spinal accessory nerve. Which action does the nurse ask the client to take to aid assessment of this nerve?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: To assess the spinal accessory nerve (cranial nerve XI), the client should be asked to shrug their shoulders against resistance. This action tests the strength of the trapezius muscle, which is innervated by this nerve, effectively evaluating its function.
Option A, smiling, assesses facial nerve function (cranial nerve VII), not the spinal accessory nerve. Option B, clenching the teeth, evaluates the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V), which is unrelated. Option D, identifying taste, pertains to the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX), again not relevant to the spinal accessory nerve assessment.