Chart review of a patient who is using a manual wheelchair reveals intact right and left visual fields;however,the patient has multiple abrasions on his left arm,demonstrates difficulty reading by not scanning all the way to the left side of the page,and routinely leaves the left side of meal trays untouched when they are served in the patient's room.Which is the MOST likely condition responsible for these findings?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Unilateral neglect is a condition in which individuals ignore or fail to attend to stimuli on one side of their body or environment. In this case, the patient demonstrates neglect on the left side, as demonstrated by the multiple abrasions on the left arm, difficulty reading on the left side of the page, and leaving the left side of meal trays untouched. This is different from left hemisphere stroke or left homonymous hemianopsia, which would likely result in visual field deficits but not necessarily neglect. Executive function deficit may also cause difficulties with attention and planning, but it is unlikely to cause the specific pattern of neglect seen here.

Chart Review of a Patient Who Is Using a Manual