CEA Nursing Practice Exam

Which question should a nurse practitioner prioritize while evaluating a patient with migraines?

1. Have you been evaluated for Thalassemia?

2. Do you have visual symptoms before your migraines?

3. Does anyone in your family smoke?

4. Do you have a history of cardiac disease?

The correct answer is: Do you have visual symptoms before your migraines?

Prioritizing the question regarding visual symptoms before migraines is crucial in the evaluation process because it pertains to the classification and understanding of the patient's migraine profile. This is essential for diagnosing the type of migraine and determining appropriate treatment options. Visual symptoms, known as aura, can indicate a specific migraine variant, such as migraine with aura, which may require different management strategies than migraine without aura. Identifying these symptoms helps the healthcare provider to assess the patient's situation more accurately and rule out other possible neurological issues that may present similarly. Moreover, the presence of visual symptoms can influence the risk assessment for more serious conditions, such as transient ischemic attacks or strokes, which could occur in predisposed individuals. Thus, understanding the significance of these visual disturbances aligns with the nurse practitioner's goal of comprehensive patient evaluation and tailored treatment planning. The other options, while relevant to a broader health context, do not specifically address immediate and critical factors in managing migraines and their potential complications as effectively as the question about visual symptoms does.