Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2015
Identifying posttraumatic amnesia in individuals with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 15 after mild traumatic brain injury.
To examine the utility of the Abbreviated Westmead Post-traumatic Amnesia Scale, which includes the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and 3 picture cards used to measure amnesia, in identifying the presence or absence of posttraumatic amnesia in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). ⋯ A GCS score of 15 does not always signify return to normative cognitive function. Individuals with a GCS score of 15 who are acutely cognitively impaired are at risk of not being accurately identified. The addition of an amnesia score to the GCS in the Abbreviated Westmead Post-traumatic Amnesia Scale will assist in making a diagnosis of mTBI.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · May 2015
Rehabilitation assessments for patients with stroke in Australian hospitals do not always reflect the patients' rehabilitation requirements.
To examine the frequency and factors associated with patients with stroke in Australian hospitals receiving documented rehabilitation assessments; to examine the criteria used when rehabilitation was not recommended; and to examine whether being assessed for rehabilitation affected access to rehabilitation. ⋯ More than one third of patients were not assessed for rehabilitation. When assessed, rehabilitation was not consistently recommended for patients with stroke-related symptoms. This study highlights factors that increase the likelihood of being assessed for rehabilitation.