Cranial nerve testing should be within the skill set of ALL clinicians who treat neck, head and orofacial presentations.
Most clinicians are well versed and confident with neurological testing of the upper and lower limbs as well as upper motor neuron tests. However, when it comes to what is arguably the riskiest of anatomical regions, the head and neck ... there appears to be a strong suggestion that history and education have not prepared physiotherapists well for this.
The harsh reality is that many #Physios report that:
1. They were not taught CN’s at University
2. If they were, they are a little rusty with application and interpretation
3. It’s not something they do very often, and the tests are really hard to recall
Indeed a recent Twitter poll revealed that 53% of respondents suggested that they had not been taught these skills at University. Of those that had, over 50% suggested that they were not comfortable with applying them and interpreting the tests in clinical practice.
This is perhaps a little alarming for a profession which is championing the concepts of FCP and ACP roles within healthcare.
There is a mismatch here, and a clear need to improve understanding, education and competencies.
But it is not just FCP’s & ACP’s who need these skills. They are easily attainable for any clinician, and can easily be understood and applied from UG level.
BUT DON'T FEEL BAD ... I think perhaps the educational system in some places (not all), has let us all down, and I agree entirely, the CN's are a bit complex and do at first provide a challenge to learn.
The missing links are often context, understanding, working knowledge and the application of clinical reasoning.
That is why I've put together 3 short films in the 'Fireside CPD Sessions' series, to help make sense of the cranial nerves, their functions + when and how we might test them.
An opportunity to get to know the cranial nerves and their functions from a clinical reasoning perspective.
This short film is designed to introduce the cranial nerves and consider the subjective questions (that we often don't ask) that might lead us to test them in the clinical situation.
These films should provide a solid base for all clinicians who wish to familiarise themselves with the cranial nerves, gain a basic understanding of their function, AND develop an easy method for recalling the tests.
