12 cranial nerves and tests
A 1st year student paramedic's simplified summary. Names and basic functions of the 12 cranial nerves, as well as prompts to cranial nerve tests. This is a very basic summary and the tests described are prompts/reminders not full descriptions. Reference to a more comprehensive clinical guide is ESSENTIAL.
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- Q1 Cranial nerve 1
- A Olfactory - sense of smell (ask about smell changes)
- Q2 Cranial nerve 2
- A Optic - sense of sight (ask pt to read a sign or badge, assess pupil reflex to light, test peripheral vision by moving fingers)
- Q3 Cranial nerve 3
- A Oculomotor - movement of eyes and eyelids (look for drooping eyelids, ask pt to follow finger in "H" pattern keeping head still, ask pt to switch focus between near and far object, assess pupil reflex to light)
- Q4 Cranial nerve 4
- A Trochlear - movement of eyes (ask pt to follow finger in "H" pattern keeping head still, ask pt to switch focus between near and far object, assess pupil reflex to light)
- Q5 Cranial nerve 5
- A Trigeminal - sense of touch in face, movement of jaw (assess sensation to light touch or pinprick down both sides of face, assess blinking in response to light touch to the pupils (using cotton or damp gauze) whilst eyes looking other way, ask pt to move jaw down against resistance, ask pt to clench jaw whilst you feel muscles in back of cheeks)
About this deck
12 cranial nerves and tests is a 12-card flashcard deck covering anatomy & physiology for paramedic clinical revision. A 1st year student paramedic's simplified summary. Names and basic functions of the 12 cranial nerves, as well as prompts to cranial nerve tests. This is a very basic summary and the tests described are prompts/reminders not full descriptions. Reference to a more comprehensive clinical guide is ESSENTIAL.
This community-published deck was shared by Ben W via SnapMedic's deck-sharing feature. Community decks complement the official preset decks with revision content for specific qualifications, scenarios, and learning preferences. All cards work offline once downloaded and use spaced repetition to move information into long-term memory.
Last updated 10 May 2026.
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