Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI) can happen to anyone. It occurs from a blow or blunt force trauma to the head or brain. The severity of the injury depends on the amount of force and trauma that occurs during the accident. It can range from mild to severe with physical abilities and symptoms varying from each patient. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the U.S. (“Brain Injury in Children-BIAA,” 2015).” Traumatic brain injuries can occur from a simple fall, a motor vehicle accident, abuse, gunshot wounds, and physical activities such as sports.
Pathophysiology
Traumatic brain injuries can be classified as primary and secondary damage. The primary damage …show more content…
Often, the result of the trauma leads to permanent damage of the brain resulting in neurological damage that is chronic. A Glasgow Coma Scale is used to determine the extent of the injury. It is scored based on mild, moderate, and severe with a numeric score of three to fifteen. It rates the eyes, verbal response, and motor response. There is also a modified pediatric version for patients to use if language is a barrier. With a brain injury, the symptoms vary depending on the area of the brain that was damaged. The patient can have cognitive difficulties, speech, and language, sensory, vison, hearing, smell, taste, seizures, and social-emotional …show more content…
Patients are often in an intensive care unit and monitoring the patient closely is priority. The nurse would maintain an airway, monitor intracranial pressure, vital signs, perrla, neuro status, administer ordered medications, assess fluid and electrolytes, along with input and output. The nurse would monitor for any seizures, DVTs, temperature, lower environmental stimulation, and makes sure adequate oxygenation is getting to the patient. Nutritional goals should be met by day seven to insure the patient is meeting metabolic demands. The nurse may not be able to reposition the patient every two hours depending on the pressure of the brain. However, the bed should be elevated thirty degrees to ensure neutral alignment and venous return, but the nurse could use other measures to prevent bedsores on the legs or heels. The nurse would be responsible for bladder, bowel incontinence, and providing safety for the patient always. Also, the nurse may provide care and emotional support to the family members. The road to recovery is usually and long and other support systems need to be accessible from all
Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI) can happen to anyone. It occurs from a blow or blunt force trauma to the head or brain. The severity of the injury depends on the amount of force and trauma that occurs during the accident. It can range from mild to severe with physical abilities and symptoms varying from each patient. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the U.S. (“Brain Injury in Children-BIAA,” 2015).” Traumatic brain injuries can occur from a simple fall, a motor vehicle accident, abuse, gunshot wounds, and physical activities such as sports.
Pathophysiology
Traumatic brain injuries can be classified as primary and secondary damage. The primary damage …show more content…
Often, the result of the trauma leads to permanent damage of the brain resulting in neurological damage that is chronic. A Glasgow Coma Scale is used to determine the extent of the injury. It is scored based on mild, moderate, and severe with a numeric score of three to fifteen. It rates the eyes, verbal response, and motor response. There is also a modified pediatric version for patients to use if language is a barrier. With a brain injury, the symptoms vary depending on the area of the brain that was damaged. The patient can have cognitive difficulties, speech, and language, sensory, vison, hearing, smell, taste, seizures, and social-emotional …show more content…
Patients are often in an intensive care unit and monitoring the patient closely is priority. The nurse would maintain an airway, monitor intracranial pressure, vital signs, perrla, neuro status, administer ordered medications, assess fluid and electrolytes, along with input and output. The nurse would monitor for any seizures, DVTs, temperature, lower environmental stimulation, and makes sure adequate oxygenation is getting to the patient. Nutritional goals should be met by day seven to insure the patient is meeting metabolic demands. The nurse may not be able to reposition the patient every two hours depending on the pressure of the brain. However, the bed should be elevated thirty degrees to ensure neutral alignment and venous return, but the nurse could use other measures to prevent bedsores on the legs or heels. The nurse would be responsible for bladder, bowel incontinence, and providing safety for the patient always. Also, the nurse may provide care and emotional support to the family members. The road to recovery is usually and long and other support systems need to be accessible from all