A small compilation of nurse anesthesia care plans

These anesthesia care plans are meant to inspire nurse anesthesia residents when they are making their care plans. Always make sure you fully understand and "own" your care plan. Your plan must be specific for your patient and should always be with the most up-to-date information.

Mnemonics - Facial Nerve Branches and Cranial Nerves

5 Major Branches of Facial Nerve VII

TZanzibar By Motor Car

The Zebra Bummed My Cat

  • T- Temporal
  • Z - Zygomatic
  • B  - Buccal
  • M - Mandibular
  • C - Cervical

12 Cranial Nerves

Mnemonic for Cranial Nerve Names

Oh, Oh, Oh To Take A Family Vacation! Go Vegas After Hours

Oh, Oh, Oh, To Touch And Feel Very Good Velvet - A Heaven

Mnemonic for Cranial Nerve Functions

Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More

Some Say My Mother Bought My Brother Some Bad Beer My, My

  • S = Sensory, M = Motor, B = Both
#CN NameSensory/MotorOriginationNucleusFunction
I Olfactory nerve Purely Sensory   Anterior olfactory nucleus Transmits the sense of smell; Located in olfactory foramina in the Cribriform plate of ethmoid
II Optic nerve Purely Sensory   Ganglion cells of retina Transmits visual information to the brain; Located in optic canal
III Oculomotor nerve Mainly Motor Midbrain Oculomotor nucleus, Edinger-Westphal nucleus Innervates levator palpebrae superioris, superior rectus, medial rectus, inferior rectus, and inferior oblique, which collectively perform most eye movements; Also innervates m. sphincter pupillae. Located in superior orbital fissure
IV Trochlear nerve Mainly Motor Midbrain Trochlear nucleus Innervates the superior oblique muscle, which depresses, rotates laterally (around the optic axis), and intorts the eyeball; Located in superior orbital fissure
V

Trigeminal nerve

Both Sensory and Motor

Pons Principal sensory trigeminal nucleus, Spinal trigeminal nucleus, Mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, Trigeminal motor nucleus Receives sensation from the face and innervates the muscles of mastication; Located in superior orbital fissure (ophthalmic nerve - V1), foramen rotundum (maxillary nerve - V2), and foramen ovale (mandibular nerve - V3)
VI Abducens nerve Mainly Motor Posterior margin of Pons Abducens nucleus Innervates the lateral rectus, which abducts the eye; Located in superior orbital fissure
VII Facial nerve Both Sensory and Motor Pons (cerebellopontine angle) above olive Facial nucleus, Solitary nucleus, Superior salivary nucleus Provides motor innervation to the muscles of facial expression, posterior belly of the digastric muscle, and stapedius muscle, receives the special sense of taste from the anterior 2/3 of the tongue, and provides secretomotor innervation to the salivary glands (except parotid) and the lacrimal gland; Located and runs through internal acoustic canal to facial canal and exits at stylomastoid foramen
VIII

Vestibulocochlear nerve

or auditory-vestibular nerve or statoacoustic nerve

Mostly sensory Lateral to CN VII (cerebellopontine angle) Vestibular nuclei, Cochlear nuclei Senses sound, rotation and gravity (essential for balance & movement). More specifically. the vestibular branch carries impulses for equilibrium and the cochlear branch carries impulses for hearing.; Located in internal acoustic canal
IX Glossopharyngeal nerve Both Sensory and Motor Medulla Nucleus ambiguus, Inferior salivary nucleus, Solitary nucleus Receives taste from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue, provides secretomotor innervation to the parotid gland, and provides motor innervation to the stylopharyngeus. Some sensation is also relayed to the brain from the palatine tonsils. Sensation is relayed to opposite thalamus and some hypothalamic nuclei. Located in jugular foramen
X Vagus nerve Both Sensory and Motor Posterolateral sulcus of Medulla Nucleus ambiguus, Dorsal motor vagal nucleus, Solitary nucleus Supplies branchiomotor innervation to most laryngeal and all pharyngeal muscles (except the stylopharyngeus, which is innervated by the glossopharyngeal); provides parasympathetic fibers to nearly all thoracic and abdominal viscera down to the splenic flexure; and receives the special sense of taste from the epiglottis. A major function: controls muscles for voice and resonance and the soft palate. Symptoms of damage: dysphagia (swallowing problems), velopharyngeal insufficiency. Located in jugular foramen
XI

Accessory nerve

or cranial accessory nerve or spinal accessory nerve

Mainly Motor Cranial and Spinal Roots Nucleus ambiguus, Spinal accessory nucleus

Controls sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, overlaps with functions of the vagus. Examples of symptoms of damage: inability to shrug, weak head movement; Located in jugular foramen

XII Hypoglossal nerve Mainly Motor Medulla Hypoglossal nucleus Provides motor innervation to the muscles of the tongue (except for the palatoglossus, which is innervated by the vagus) and other glossal muscles. Important for swallowing (bolus formation) and speech articulation. Located in hypoglossal canal