The nurse is caring for a severely brain injured patient. A family member requests information regarding signs of brain death. The nurse knows that what diagnostic test will be done to confirm brain death?
A) Cerebral blood flow studies
B) Lumbar puncture
C) Electromyography
D) Spiral CT scan
Ans: A
Feedback: The three cardinal signs of brain death upon clinical examination are coma, the absence of brainstem reflexes, and apnea. Adjunctive tests such as EEG and cerebral blood flow studies are often used to confirm brain death. A lumbar puncture, electromyography, and spiral CT scan are used in diagnosing certain neurologic diseases.
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