Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) Practice Exam

Which assessment tests a patient's ability to recognize a drawn number on their palm?

1. Stereognosis

2. Graphesthesia

3. Point localization

4. Extinction

The correct answer is: Graphesthesia

The ability to recognize a drawn number on the palm is assessed through graphesthesia, which specifically evaluates the sensory function responsible for recognizing tactile stimuli, such as letters, numbers, or shapes, traced on the skin. This test involves a patient's ability to interpret these drawn figures without visual input, relying instead on their sense of touch and the brain's ability to process tactile information. In contrast, stereognosis refers to the ability to identify common objects by feel alone, which involves a different sensory processing pathway. Point localization assesses the ability to discern the location of a stimulus on the body but does not involve recognition of drawn figures. Lastly, extinction pertains to the phenomenon where a patient is unable to perceive a stimulus on one side of their body when stimuli are simultaneously presented bilaterally, which is unrelated to recognizing drawn numbers. Thus, graphesthesia is the correct answer as it directly measures the patient’s ability to interpret tactile drawings.