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AACN CCRN-Adult Exam - Topic 1 Question 18 Discussion

Actual exam question for AACN's CCRN-Adult exam

Question #: 18
Topic #: 1

[All CCRN-Adult Questions]

A patient with a spinal cord injury at T7 tells the nurse that they now have a pounding headache. The nurse should

Acheck for bladder distension.

Badminister PRN acetaminophen.

Cplace the patient in supine position.

Dperform a stroke assessment.

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: A

A sudden and severe headache in a patient with a spinal cord injury at T7 could be a symptom of autonomic dysreflexia12. This condition is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency that can occur in individuals with spinal cord injuries above the T6 level12. It is most commonly triggered by an overfull bladder or a blocked catheter12. Therefore, the nurse should first check for bladder distension123.

by Francoise at Jan 05, 2026, 05:16 AM

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Kati

2 months ago

But we should rule out A first. Headaches can indicate something serious.

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Goldie

2 months ago

I’m leaning towards B. Acetaminophen could help with the headache.

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Aaron

2 months ago

I agree with A. It’s a common issue in spinal cord injuries.

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Tuyet

3 months ago

I think A is the best choice. Bladder distension can cause headaches.

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Allene

3 months ago

Totally agree, bladder issues are often overlooked in these cases.

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Terrilyn

3 months ago

Really? A headache from T7 injury? Sounds odd to me.

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Margot

3 months ago

I think acetaminophen is too basic for this situation.

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Arlette

3 months ago

Definitely check for bladder distension first!

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Yuette

3 months ago

A pounding headache can be a sign of autonomic dysreflexia.

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Scot

4 months ago

If the patient's headache is as bad as mine after studying for this exam, they deserve a whole bottle of acetaminophen!

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Belen

4 months ago

I bet the patient's headache is pounding as hard as their bladder right now. Time to check for some distension!

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Nicholle

4 months ago

D) perform a stroke assessment? Really? I don't think a spinal cord injury at T7 is the same as a stroke.

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Yesenia

5 months ago

C) place the patient in supine position could help, but it's important to first check for the root cause of the headache.

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Tony

5 months ago

B) administer PRN acetaminophen seems like a good option to relieve the headache, but it doesn't address the underlying cause.

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Clorinda

5 months ago

I think the correct answer is A) check for bladder distension. Spinal cord injuries can cause autonomic dysreflexia, which can lead to a pounding headache.

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Miesha

5 months ago

I vaguely remember that stroke assessments are crucial, but I don't think that's the immediate priority in this scenario.

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Izetta

5 months ago

I feel like placing the patient supine could make things worse if it's autonomic dysreflexia, but I can't recall the exact details.

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Abel

6 months ago

I think I saw a practice question where they mentioned administering acetaminophen for headaches, but I'm not sure if that's the right first step here.

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Hermila

6 months ago

I remember something about headaches in spinal cord injury patients possibly indicating autonomic dysreflexia, so checking for bladder distension might be important.

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Martin

6 months ago

I'd want to be really thorough and check all the options. Gotta make sure I don't miss anything on this exam question.

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Felix

6 months ago

A stroke assessment? I don't think that's the right approach here. This is more likely an issue with the spinal cord injury itself.

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Shizue

6 months ago

Okay, I remember learning about this in class. Placing the patient supine is important to help manage the blood pressure spike.

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Leslee

6 months ago

Hmm, I'm not sure. The pounding headache could be from a lot of things. I'd probably try the acetaminophen first to see if that helps.

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Allene

7 months ago

This seems like it could be autonomic dysreflexia. I'd check for bladder distension first.

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Jesusa

5 days ago

Checking for bladder issues first makes sense!

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Augustine

11 days ago

Definitely, it could be autonomic dysreflexia.

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Hermila

16 days ago

I agree, bladder distension is a priority.

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