• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

QD Nurses

QD Nurses - Every Day Nurses - NCLEX Review Articles, NCLEX Study Guides, NCLEX Prep for Nursing Students, Nurses, and Healthcare Professionals

  • About
  • Education
  • Social
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Adult Care / Neurosensory / Cranial Nerves Mnemonics to Help You Pass Your Exams

Cranial Nerves Mnemonics to Help You Pass Your Exams

posted on August 21, 2016

Cranial Nerves Mnemonic

Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Very Good Victory AH!

Olfactory
Optic
Oculomotor
Trochlear
Trigeminal
Abducens
Facial
Vestibulocochlear
Glossopharyngeal
Vagus
Accesory
Hypoglossal

Here are 12 cranial nerves mnemonics to assist you with understanding the cranial nerves.

Cranial Nerve I - Olfactory
Cranial Nerve I – Olfactory

Cranial Nerve 1 – Olfactory

Smell test is done if client reports loss of smell, head trauma, abnormal mental status, and suspected intra-cranial lesions.

Assess patency of each nostril by occluding one nostril. Positive results are presented if the client can still smell out of one nostril.

Cranial Nerve I - Olfactory
Cranial Nerve I – Olfactory

Cranial Nerve 1 – Olfactory

Abnormal findings of cranial nerve I is anosmia. Anosmia is loss of smell.

Neurogenic anosmia is unilateral loss of smell in the absence of nasal disease. Upper respiratory infection could be the cause.

Cranial Nerve II - Optic
Cranial Nerve II – Optic

Cranial Nerve II – Optic

Ophthalmoscope is used to measure peripheral vision.

Abnormal findings of the optic cranial nerve includes visual field loss and papilledema. Papilledema is swelling of the optic nerve.

Cranial Nerve III, Cranial Nerve IV, and Cranial Nerve VI
Cranial Nerve III, Cranial Nerve IV, and Cranial Nerve VI

Cranial Nerve III – Oculomotor, Cranial Nerve IV – Trochlear, and Cranial Nerve VI – Abduces Nerve

All three nerves control eye movements, opening eyelid, pupil constriction, focusing, and proprioception.

Check pupil for size, equality and light reaction.

Check for severity of any nystagmus.

Cranial Nerve III, Cranial Nerve IV, and Cranial Nerve VI
Cranial Nerve III, Cranial Nerve IV, and Cranial Nerve VI

Cranial Nerve III – Oculomotor, Cranial Nerve IV – Trochlear, and Cranial Nerve VI – Abduces Nerve

Abnormal findings of the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves are:

  • Ptosis, also known as dropping
  • Increasing intra-cranial pressure
  • Strabismus, also known as deviated gaze
Cranial Nerve V - Trigeminal
Cranial Nerve V – Trigeminal

Cranial Nerve V – Trigeminal

Abnormal findings of the cranial nerve trigeminal include:

  • Decreased strength in mastication muscles
  • Asymmetry in jaw movement
  • Clenching teeth pain
  • Decreased or uneven sensation
Cranial Nerve VII - Facial
Cranial Nerve VII – Facial

Cranial Nerve VII – Facial

Facial nerve controls:

Facial expression
Tear glands
Nasal glands
Palatine glands
Submandibular and sublingual salivary glands
Sense of taste

Assess for:

Facial mobility
Symmetry
Smile/frown
Lifting eyebrows
Show teeth
Puffed cheeks

Abnormal findings of the facial cranial nerve – facial muscle weakness

Cranial Nerve VIII - Acoustic
Cranial Nerve VIII – Acoustic

Cranial Nerve VIII – Acoustic

Vestibulocochlear nerve – sense of hearing and pertinent to balance

Hearing acuity tests are done for diagnostic testing and assessment.

Poor hearing acuity affects 10% of the population. It affects communication, social interaction, and cognition.

Cranial Nerve IX and Cranial Nerve X
Cranial Nerve IX and Cranial Nerve X

Cranial Nerve IX and X – Glossopharyngeal and Vagus Nerves

Observe for asymmetry of soft palate movement or tonsillar pillar movement.

Abnormal findings include swallowing dysfunction and vocal cord dysfunction.

Cranial Nerves IX and X
Cranial Nerves IX and X

Cranial Nerve IX and X – Glossopharyngeal and Vagus nerves

Observe for:

Swallowing, salivation, gagging, BP, touch, pressure, taste, ear pain, speech, pain sensation of tongue, hunger sensations, intestinal discomfort, cardio regulation, and GI regulation.

Assess tongue with tongue blade.
Assess gag reflex.
Voice sounds should be smooth.

Cranial Nerve XI
Cranial Nerve XI

Cranial Nerve XI – Spinal Accessory Nerve

Spinal accessory nerve controls:

Swallowing
Head movement
Neck movement
Shoulder movement

Assess sternomastoid and trapezius. Shrug shoulder against resistance for symmetry.

Abnormal finding of spinal accessory nerve – atrophy.

Cranial Nerve XII
Cranial Nerve XII

Cranial Nerve XII – Hypoglossal Nerve

Hypoglossal nerve controls:
Tongue movement of speech
Swallowing
Food manipulation

Assess for tongue movement

Abnormal findings:
Atrophy
Fasciculation
Tongue deviated to one side

Share on Facebook Share
Share
Share on Pinterest Share
Share
Share on Email Share
Share
Share on Messenger Share
Share
Total 0 Shares

Filed Under: Adult Care, NCLEX, Neurosensory Tagged With: cranial, cranial nerve mnemonics, cranial nerves, cranial nerves mnemonics, medical surgical, nclex, neurology, neurosensory

Primary Sidebar

My digital products are designed to be easy-to-follow and delivered in a self-paced format. My latest product - the Prep Ultimate - contains Study Guides and Digital Flashcards

Get My NCLEX Prep Ultimate

Start your journey to passing the NCLEX below. Sign up today and I'll send my free infection control study guide to your email for download.

By signing up below, you agree to the Privacy Policy and confirm that your information is accurate.

More to See

Fluid and Electrolytes Nursing Review

Fluid and Electrolytes: Nursing Review

Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

Septic Shock Nursing Review

Nursing Review: 6 Important Facts To Know About Septic Shock

COVID-19

Nursing Review: 11 Important Facts to Know About COVID-19

HIV/AIDS

Nursing Review: Learn More About the 3 Stages of HIV Infection

More Posts from this Category

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • BUZZ
  • ATI Testing
  • NCLEX
  • ADULT CARE
    • Cardiovascular
    • Endocrine
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Genitourinary
    • Hematologic & Immune
    • Integumentary
    • Musculoskeletal
    • Neurosensory
    • Respiratory
  • FUNDAMENTALS
  • PSYCHIATRIC
  • PEDIATRIC CARE
    • Endocrine
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Genitourinary
    • Growth & Development
    • Hematologic & Immune
    • Musculoskeletal
    • Neurosensory
    • Respiratory
  • MATERNAL-NEONATAL
    • Antepartum
    • Intrapartum
    • Neonatal
  • NURSING SCIENCE
  • EMT

Footer CTA

Join over 1,500 happy students!

Get 160 FREE Digital Flashcards & My FREE Infection Control Study Guide

Learn More
  • Privacy Policy
  • Return Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 QD Nurses. All Rights Reserved.

X
Subject:
Message:
Ajax loader
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept
Share with friends
Share on Facebook Share
Share
Share on Pinterest Share
Share
Share on Email Share
Share
Share on Messenger Share
Share