CRANIAL NERVES

Health Assessment
NUR 211

Anatomy and Physiology

Central Nervous System
Brain, spinal cord, motor and sensory pathways

Peripheral Nervous System

Spinal nerves, cranial nerves, autonomic
nervous system

Focused Health Assessment

Present Health/Illness Status
numbness, difficulty with speech, vision,
hearing, medications, changes in behavior,
lifestyle

Family History
headaches, mental illness, depression

Continued:
Past Health History

seizures, headaches
head injury
surgeries
stroke

Equipment Needed:

Cotton ball, safety pin, snellen chart

Tongue blade
Tuning fork
Reflex hammer
pen light
pencil and paper
sweet/sour substances
Familiar aromatic substance (coffee, vanilla)

CN I: Olfactory
Sensory: smell
Apply simple odors to
one nostril at a time
Do not test unless
history indicates

CN II: Optic
Sensory: vision
Snellen
Visual fields
(confrontation)
Ophthalmoscopic
examination

CN III: Oculomotor
Motor: upward,
downward, medial eye
movement
Corneal Light reflex
Cover test
EOM: 6 cardinal
positions
Observe lids

CN IV: Trochlear
Motor: downward,
medial eye movement
EOM
Same as CN III
Pupillary light reflex
Accommodation

CN V: Trigeminal
Sensory: face, scalp
Motor:
Tactile and pain
sensation on entire
face

CN VI: Abducens
Motor: lateral eye
movement
EOM
Same as CN III

CN VII: Facial
Sensory:
Taste to anterior 2/3 of
tongue
Motor:
Ability to frown
Smile, show teeth
Puff out checks
whistle, close eyes

CN VIII: Acoustic
Sensory:
Hearing acuity
Rinne test: on mastoid
process
Weber test: on center
of forehead
Otoscopic examination
Rhomberg test

CN IX: Glossopharyngeal

Sensory:
Taste
Motor:
Able to swallow
Gag reflex

CN X: Vagus
Sensory
listen to person talk (hoarseness)

Motor
ask person to say ah (soft palate contract and
uvula stays midline)

CN XI: Spinal Accessary

Motor:
Turn head side to side
shrug shoulders with
resistance

CN XII: Hypoglossal
Motor:
protrude tongue
move tongue from
side to side with
resistance