seizure

[NewlyGradBSN]

I remember when I was in highschool and one of my dorm mates had a seizure. I just want to know for example, she experiences gran mal seizure, what should the people around her do? side lying or high back rest? or is it either or depending on whether she is on a hospital bed or not??

[NeoPediRN]

Always side lying. If they vomit they're at higher risk for aspiration on their back.

ETA if you can put a pillow under their head and don't try to put anything in their mouths.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

NewlyGradBSN....this is basic neuro info in school - dig out the book :)

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

Remove anything in the immediate are that she may hurt herself on. DO NOT STICK ANYTHING IN THE MOUTH. Do not try to hold her down or put in her a certain position. Keep her from harm and wait it out.

[NewlyGradBSN]

i know. i believe that you shouldn't position a patient at any position while the seizure is going on. i've asked around whether it's sidelying or high back rest, people said it's either or, so now im confused...

[RyanCarolinaBoy, ADN, BSN, MSN]

LOL, i love the way these students get out of doing their homework...I mean seriously, if you want to know what to do for a patient having a seizure, then open your textbook and find out!

just my advice...

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

googling would have been last effort ..... this is basic information. Interestingly enough a loved one who had seizures several years ago was in the hospital recently and they placed mats/padding all around the rails.... just in case:rolleyes:.. .when i pointed out it had been 3 years since his last seizure and that were not grand mals.....the nurse looked at me and said ' well this is our policy maam.."

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

googling would have been last effort ..... this is basic information. Interestingly enough a loved one who had seizures several years ago was in the hospital recently and they placed mats/padding all around the rails.... just in case:rolleyes:.. .when i pointed out it had been 3 years since his last seizure and that were not grand mals.....the nurse looked at me and said ' well this is our policy maam.."

I've had bed alarms put on my bed in the hospital :lol2: Like THAT will help anything ! When I remind them that I don't have a padded bed at home, they just look at me like I'm non-compliant AT HOME!!!

[wooh, BSN, RN]

As for bed rail pads, I think we all know that if it comes down to a choice between common sense and whatever the hospital policy for "seizure precautions" is, well, we gotta go with the bed rail pads. (We just finally got the tongue blade at bedside removed from the policy. We all knew not to use it, but got to have it there in the room!!)

[BaltimoreHon, BSN, RN]

You should also time the seizure from beginning (if possible) to end.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I remember when I was in highschool and one of my dorm mates had a seizure. I just want to know for example, she experiences gran mal seizure, what should the people around her do? side lying or high back rest? or is it either or depending on whether she is on a hospital bed or not??

Seriously (not being snarky) - what did you learn in school? There are different things to do with different types of seizures. Not everyone flops around, pees, or whacks anyone around them.... and the first aid is different for each sort.

Post what you know to do, and maybe get some input based on what you already know :)

[independ3nt]

For a grand mal I remember you have to secure the head so that it doesnt repeatedly hit the ground and cause injury and make sure that the tongue is away from the teeth as not to have the patient cause bleeding from biting it. Laying them supine would be best and removing any objects nearby that can injure them. After they calm down you'd put them on their side. I wonder what you would do if they had food in their mouth though. In high school a kid had a seizure and they placed him supine but to this day i wonder if that was a good idea, but the body is so rigid at the time that I wonder how easy that would be.