NPTE: How do you remember your Cranial Nerves?

 

Sadly, I have been taught Cranial Nerves (CN) many times (once in neuro, once in neuro dx & management, 3x for every annual comprehensive exam, a handful of more times for practicals and then again for the NPTE) but the only time it stuck was when someone taught me this dirty mnemonic.

Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Virgin Girls Vagina And Hymen. I know shame on me...but whatever sticks.

How do you remember it? My classmates love the Harry Potter Mnemonic.

Then there are all of these mnemonics.

Also, I count on my fingers when I am saying the mnemonic so if I forget the words, I remember there are O's (Olfactory, Optic, Oculomotor Nerve) and T's (Trochlear, Trigeminal Nerve) on my left hand.

On the right hand, there are CN 8 & 9 = Virgin Girls before Vagina = Vestibulocochlear, Glossopharyngeal Nerves,

Then Vagina = Vagus Nerve as the 10th CN and final finger! (A really important nerve!).

And Hymen = Accessory and Hypoglossal are the 11th and 12th nerves.

Don't forget to make your 1-page chart that briefly describes each nerve's function and how a person presents if the nerve in impaired.

Cranial Nerves	Functions	Deficits Presentation
I Olfactory
II Optic
III Oculomotor
IV Trochlear
V  Trigeminal
VI Abducens
VII Facial
VIII Vestibulococh
IX Glossopharyngeal
X Vagus
XI Accessory
XII Hypoglossal

 
Important CNs to differentiate is a person with dysfunction of Oculomotor and Facial Nerve. Every one remembers Bell's Palsy = Facial Nerve = droopy eye [and face/mouth], the person can't close their eye so they get dry eye and an eye patch is part of treatment. However, ptosis is also drooping of the eye but due to the inability to raise the eyelid because of damage to the Oculomotor nerve.

Bell's Palsy  = Facial Nerve
Ptosis = Oculomotor Nerve



Picture from Nursing Tips Tumblr.