The nurse and physician are viewing a brain scan, which indicates bleeding at the point of impact to the skull and edema on the opposite side. The client is sleeping but can be aroused. The client has no memory of accident

Question

The nurse provides all details to the next shift and is most accurate to report which type of injury? A) Coup injury
B) Contusion
C) Head injury
D) Contrecoup injury

Answer 1

D
Feedback:
The nurse most accurately reports a contrecoup injury because the client has this type of dual brain injury. The client has experienced not only a direct strike to the brain but the brain ricochets in the skull to the opposite side causing damage and inflammation at that location as well. The client experienced a head injury, which is a general term. The injury is a contusion because it is more serious than a concussion and leads to structural injury to the brain. It is inaccurate to report a coup injury because this reveals injury to the brain itself from a direct strike to the head.