The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
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The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe neuroscience intensive care unit (NICU) nurses' perceptions regarding their roles and responsibilities in the decision-making process during the change in intensity of care and end-of-life care for patients. Twelve NICU nurses agreed to a private moderately structured interview. Three major themes summarize the data: (1) providing guidance, (2) being positioned in the middle of the communication process, and (3) feeling the emotions of patients and families. ⋯ This research adds to the limited body of knowledge concerning critical care nurses' experiences with end-of-life care. Providing guidance and being in the middle of the communication process can be a lonely, challenging, yet rewarding position. Results of this study provide a basis for offering emotional support to NICU nurses who care for patients at the end of life.
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According to 1999 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by motor vehicle accidents, firearms, and falls are recorded as a leading cause of death and lifelong disability for young adults in the United States. Researchers have investigated if correlations exist between variables in the acute stage of injury and outcome measures in TBI patients. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is one variable that was extensively studied for its ability to predict outcome in TBI patients. ⋯ GCS scores are most accurate at predicting outcome in head-injured patients when they are combined with patient age and pupillary response and when broad outcome categories are used. The motor component of the GCS yields similar prediction rates as the summed GCS score, and better prediction occurs with very high or very low GCS scores. Information about the cumulative research findings on the predictive ability of GCS scores aids nurses in providing support and education to family members during the acute stage of injury, and in coordinating the services of members of the healthcare team, which could result in improved outcomes for both patient and family.
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Comparative Study
Chronic sorrow and coping in families of children with epilepsy.
Epilepsy, a common problem in child neurology, affects the entire family. There is a potential for such psychosocial consequences as parental chronic sorrow and alterations in coping. In this study, 67 parents completed brief questionnaires about their sorrow and coping styles. ⋯ Parental coping styles were similar to those reported in the normative data for the instrument used, the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP). The correlation between chronic sorrow and coping was significant between the grief component of sorrow and Coping Pattern II of the CHIP. Implications for practice include earlier identification of parental feelings of sorrow and coping styles, which may contribute to a positive outcome.
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Moyamoya vasculopathy is a rare, progressive neurovascular condition that may cause recurrent transient ischemic attacks, ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic strokes, or neurologic decline in children. Children with moyamoya disease have no clear contributing etiology, but children with moyamoya syndrome have contributory diagnoses such as Down syndrome or neurofibromatosis. The concerns and lived experiences of children affected by this disease and their families have not been well explored or addressed in the nursing literature. Nurses who understand this lived experience increase their own knowledge of the disease so they can manage the complex medical issues, educate families about the disease, and provide emotional support.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
A study of pupillary assessment in outpatient neurosurgical clinics.
This study compared the accuracy of three methods of assessing pupil diameter Measurements from the ForSite pupillometer and visual assessments were compared with measurements obtained using a pupil gauge (the standard method). Two sets of measurements were obtained from 65 out-patients at four neurosurgical clinics. ⋯ We conclude that the ForSite pupillometer is an easy-to-use and accurate measure of pupil diameter in a clinic setting. It may be more accurate than the pupil gauge.