A nurse is caring for a patient who has orders for assessment of cranial nerves I-VII. Which of these techniques will the nurse use for her assessment?

Examination of cranial nerves I-VII will include assessment of each of the following cranial nerves: olfactory (I), ocular (II), oculomotor (III), trochlear (IV), trigeminal (V), abducens (VI), and the facial (VII) nerves. Asking the patient to follow an object through the six cardinal fields of gaze is the proper technique to test CN VI, the abducens, as it is responsible for side to side movement of the eyes. Testing for hearing assesses the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII), assessing for the symmetrical rise of the uvula and vocal cord function (“Ahh”) is a test for the function of the glossopharyngeal (IX) and vagus nerves (X), and asking the patient to shrug the shoulders upward against resistance assesses the function of the trapezius muscle, which is controlled by cranial nerve XI, the spinal accessory nerve.