Question

The nurse is observing the physician in assessment of a client with suspected meningitis. The doctor is seen raising the thigh upon the body to see whether pain occurs in the hamstring muscle. What is the doctor checking for? A. Kernig's sign B. Brown-Sequard's syndrome C. Brudsinskis sign D. Doll's eye reflex

Short answer

Answer: Kernig's sign

Step-by-step solution

Understand the context of the question

The question presents a scenario in which a physician is observing a client for suspected meningitis. By raising the thigh upon the body and checking for pain in the hamstring muscle, we need to identify which sign or indication the doctor is checking for.

Learn the meanings of the given terms

Here is a brief explanation of the given terms: A. Kernig's sign: A clinical sign of meningitis, involving the inability to fully extend the knee when the hip is flexed at a 90-degree angle. B. Brown-Sequard's syndrome: A neurological condition caused by injury to one side of the spinal cord, affecting sensory and motor functions. C. Brudzinski's sign: Another clinical sign of meningitis, involving involuntary flexion of the leg when the neck is flexed. D. Doll's eye reflex: A clinical test to evaluate brainstem function, involving the observation of eye movements in response to head rotation.

Identify the correct answer

By reading the question and understanding the meanings of the terms, we can deduce the correct answer to be: A. Kernig's sign - Since the doctor is raising the thigh upon the body and checking for pain in the hamstring muscle, this test corresponds to Kernig's sign, which is an indication of meningitis.