Question

The nurse observes a client that stops talking​ mid-sentence and has a blank stare for 5 seconds. Which should the nurse suspect has​ occurred?

a. Drop attack
b. Simple partial seizure
c. Status epilepticus
d. Petit mal seizure

Answer 1

A nurse observing a client with a sudden pause in speech and a brief blank stare should suspect a Petit mal seizure, a condition known for causing short lapses in attention that resemble staring spells.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse observes a client that stops talking mid-sentence and has a blank stare for 5 seconds, the nurse should suspect that a Petit mal seizure has occurred. Petit mal seizures, also known as absence seizures, are characterized by brief, sudden lapses in attention and activity, which can present as a staring spell. These are more common in children but can occur at any age. Unlike simple partial seizures, which may involve motor or sensory phenomena, or status epilepticus, which is a prolonged seizure or a series of seizures without full recovery in between, Petit mal seizures involve brief episodes of staring with no other noticeable symptoms. They do not result in a drop attack, which is a sudden loss of muscle strength that can cause a person to collapse.