Normally a patient can differentiate between soft and sharp and can feel vibrations accurately. What should the nurse do to assess a patient's sensory function?
1. touch both sides of various parts of the body with a sharp and a dull object
2. have the patient distinguish which parts of the body are being touched
3. ask the patient to identify two areas of simultaneous pinpricks on the hand
4. write a number on the patient's hand and have him or her identify the number
Correct Answer: 1
Sensory function is best evaluated by touching both sides of various parts of the body with a sharp and a dull object. Asking the patient to distinguish parts of the body being touched assesses for localization. Asking the patient to identify two areas of simultaneous pinpricks on the hand assesses for two-point discrimination. Writing a number on the patient's hand and asking him or her identify the number tests for graphesthesia.
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