8 hours ago · Consciousness is the awareness of oneself and the environment and the ability to respond to external stimuli.[1] Impaired consciousness can be defined as reduced alertness, … >> Go To The Portal
References 1. Wong J, Wong S, Dempster IK. Care of the unconscious patient: a problem-oriented approach. J Neurosurg Nurs. 1984 Jun;16(3):145-50. [PubMed: 6564141] 2. Cooksley T, Rose S, Holland M. A systematic approach to the unconscious patient. Clin Med (Lond).
Review management considerations for unconscious patients. Summarize the importance of improving care coordination, with particular emphasis on communication between interprofessional medical teams, to enhance prompt and thorough delivery of care to unconscious patients. Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.
The initial step in the evaluation of an unconscious patient is to evaluate for the basic signs of life. The American Heart Association recommends examining for a pulse, followed by assessing airway patency and breathing pattern.
Try to find out why the patient does not want to go to the hospital. You respond to a middle school for a 12-year-old male patient who has been hit by a car. You get consent to treat the patient from the school principal.
Unconsciousness is caused by a temporary or permanent impairment of the bilateral forebrain (thalamus/cerebrum) or reticular activating system of the brainstem.
The many causes for an unconscious patient can be classified as affecting three main areas of the brain:[3] Bilateral Hemispheric Damage/Effect. Extensive damage to the bilateral cerebral cortex, as can occur with hypoxic-ischemic injury or brain trauma, causes neuronal death and de-innervation of cortical regions.
Coma is a profound and occasionally persistent state of unconsciousness. Plum and Posner define a coma as "a state of unresponsiveness in which the patient lies with eyes closed and cannot be aroused to respond appropriately to stimuli even with vigorous stimulation.".
Unconsciousness is generally caused by a temporary or permanent impairment of either the reticular activating system in the brainstem, both cerebral hemispheres, or bilateral thalami. The causes for an unconscious patient can be differentiated into structural pathology local to the brain or systemic pathology.
Overall, the most prevalent etiology of non-traumatic coma was ischemic or hemorrhage stroke (6 to 54%), followed by anoxia injury (3 to 42%), poisoning (1 to 39%), and metabolic (1 to 29%).
Impaired consciousness can be defined as reduced alertness, the ability to be aroused, or awareness of oneself and the environment.[2] . A patient who is initially observed to be unconscious can ultimately manifest a variety of clinical states.
Etiologies of persistent unconsciousness can be reversible or permanent. During unconsciousness, the patient losses all protective reflexes and sensation responses and is prone to aspiration and skin ulcers. [1] Coma is a profound and occasionally persistent state of unconsciousness.
A change in conscious level is the most important single sign in the assessment of the unconscious patient with a head injury.
Chapter 16. The unconscious patient. The unconscious patient is unable to ensure their own safety and in deeper levels of coma may be unable to protect their own airway.