Question

When performing a focused assessment on a pt with a lesion on the left posterior temporal lobe (Wernicke's Area), the nurse will assess for?

Option 1: Impaired expressive language and fluent speech.
Option 2: Impaired receptive language and comprehension.
Option 3: Motor weakness and paralysis on the right side.
Option 4: Visual disturbances and sensory deficits.

Answer 1

A focused assessment on a patient with a lesion in Wernicke's Area will check for Option 2: Impaired receptive language and comprehension, characteristic of Wernicke's aphasia.

Step-by-step explanation:

When performing a focused assessment on a patient with a lesion on the left posterior temporal lobe, specifically Wernicke's Area, the nurse will assess for impaired receptive language and comprehension. This type of aphasia, known as Wernicke's aphasia, is characterized by difficulties in understanding language and speech. Patients may produce fluent speech, but what they say may lack meaning or be nonsensical, and they often have trouble comprehending spoken or written language. In contrast, Broca's aphasia, which affects a different part of the brain, is associated with impaired expressive language and non-fluent speech.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is Option 2: Impaired receptive language and comprehension. A lesion in Wernicke's area does not typically cause motor weakness, paralysis, or sensory deficits, so Options 3 and 4 would not be appropriate for this particular assessment. Similarly, Option 1 is incorrect as it is indicative of damage to Broca's area, not Wernicke's.