Post Tbi Reflection

Styrke (2012) states that a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as “an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force” (p. 15). This reflection will explore a blog about a patient’s experiences post TBI and how it has shaped the way I will provide care to patients with TBI in the future. Page (2016) talks about the physical, cognitive and emotional changes that have affected his life and his families post TBI, such as the loss of long term memory, concentration difficulties and the cognitive overload associated with things that were once second nature. During my placement in ICU I have cared for several patients post TBI, and I have noticed that areas of communication and education can sometimes …show more content…
ICU is a daunting environment for patients and their families, and they rely on nurses to provide accurate information and communicate the care being provided (Oyesanya, Thomas, Brown, & Turkstra, 2016). It is important that nurses educate their patient and their families on the short and long-term effects of a TBI, for example, the cognitive deficits and symptoms such as fatigue, poor memory and poor concentration post injury (Styrke, 2012). These symptoms may influence the quality of life of the patient and their family, as it can potentially lead to changes in family dynamics, emotional distress and social isolation (Carlozzi, et al., 2015; Styrke, 2012).
I have always advocated for the importance of communication and education of patients, and always practice in a way that displays these beliefs in the clinical setting. This blog has given me new insight into the difficulties experienced by a patient post TBI, and allowed me to reflect on my practice and reinforce my beliefs of the significance of communication when providing care, educating patients and their families about their injuries and the care being