NCLEX-RN Increased ICP Cheat Sheet (Free Printable)

If you are preparing for the NCLEX-RN, increased intracranial pressure is a topic you will meet again and again. It is serious and often life-threatening, and prompt treatment leads to a better outlook, which is exactly why the exam tests whether you can spot it early and act in the right order. This cheat sheet walks through increased ICP in four parts: causes, symptoms, exams and tests, and treatment. You will review why pressure climbs inside the skull, from a rise in cerebrospinal fluid pressure to a mass, bleeding, or swelling, and why that pressure is dangerous - it presses on important structures and restricts blood flow. You will see which symptoms show up early, like behavior change, decreased alertness, headache, and lethargy, and which signal an emergency, such as unequal pupils or vomiting. The testing section covers imaging first, then pressure measurement, and the treatment section puts airway and oxygenation before pressure-lowering steps. Use it as a quick review before practice exams or clinical shifts, and verify every value against your facility protocol.

(173 words)

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Educational reference sheet - verify all values and interventions against your facility protocol.

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