Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.)
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Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.) · Jan 2006
ReviewEyes wide open: the awake craniotomy for tumour resection: a review.
The awake craniotomy procedure has become the gold standard for tumour resection in eligible patients. In this paper, the awake craniotomy procedure is reviewed, including the advantages of the procedure over the standard craniotomy procedure. The role of the neuroscience nurse in awake craniotomies is highlighted.
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Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.) · Dec 2003
ReviewDo we need stimulation programs as a part of nursing care for patients in "persistent vegetative state"? A conceptual analysis.
The rehabilitative care of persons suffering long-lasting effects of brain injury is a significant challenge for nurses as they are the health professionals who usually spend the most time with them. Historically in Germany, the term "apallic syndrome" has been commonly used for what Plum and Posner (1980) termed the persistent vegetative state. When persons are diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state, that is awake but not aware, for more than six months, they seldom receive active therapy except what nurses or families may provide. ⋯ In contrast, the sensory regulation approach is based on information processing and mediation of reaction to sensory information with emphasis on enhancing selective attention by regulating the environment rather than providing high degrees of stimulation. What both approaches have in common is the belief that the person in a persistent vegetative state may, at some level, be able to perceive and begin to process information and that external stimulation may enhance that process. Nurses interacting with persons in persistent vegetative state are encouraged to think about how they can regulate sensory input to enhance meaning and facilitate information processing for these persons.
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The basic pathophysiology of submersion injury has been reviewed with an emphasis on effects to the lungs and brain. Factors that affect outcome are the submersion time, the presence of immersion hypothermia and/or the "dividing reflex" and the initial resuscitation. ⋯ In view of the accidental nature of these injuries and potentially devastating sequelae, accident prevention has been emphasized. Nurses can play a leading role in educating parents and the public at large in ways to prevent drowning and near-drowning accidents in children.