coma patients-out of bed

chadash · Jan 16, 2006

Almost anyone with a pulse should be up for a while!

pugmum · Jan 16, 2006

By all means! Short, short anecdote. Kid, head injury, comatose, 2 arms, 2 legs fx.
Every day I got him up in the cadillac and we sat him in the nurse's station for about an hour. Of course "they can always hear you" so as usual I said ______ what would you like to do now?
He OPENED HIS EYES and SAID "whatever Dr. So and So (sitting there) says I can."
Within a week he was talking, walking on platform walker and was out of there in a couple of months.
By all means. Get them up!!

Perfect!!!!!!!

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2006

Humans were not built to lay in bed 24/7...getting all patients to multiple positions benefits circulation, digestion, respiratory and mental function.

palesarah · Jan 16, 2006

By all means! Short, short anecdote. Kid, head injury, comatose, 2 arms, 2 legs fx.
Every day I got him up in the cadillac and we sat him in the nurse's station for about an hour. Of course "they can always hear you" so as usual I said ______ what would you like to do now?
He OPENED HIS EYES and SAID "whatever Dr. So and So (sitting there) says I can."
Within a week he was talking, walking on platform walker and was out of there in a couple of months.
By all means. Get them up!!

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your story. Would it be OK it I shared it with my nurse freinds who don't come to allnurses? It's so inspirational :)

Janlynn · Jan 16, 2006

My father was in a coma following a motorcycle accident(no helmet). I've also worked on the neuro rehab floor. Any stimulation physical or mental is crucial for anyone in a coma. We always got our pt's up everyday, with my father I would get him in the wheelchair, take him outside and just push him around for awhile--of course by then he was extubated and somewhat alert-but still in a coma nonetheless.

ArmyWife,RN · Jan 21, 2006

I'm bumping this up because I'm still wanting to know if anybody has articles or web-site information regarding this practice.

Thanks,

A.W.

happthearts · Jan 22, 2006

I'm bumping this up because I'm still wanting to know if anybody has articles or web-site information regarding this practice.
Thanks,
A.W.

This is the article I found on the net It doesn't say that it helps but doesn't really spell out that it hurts. Kinda vage if they sat them up .

http://jnnp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/73/2/167

Hope this helps

Happy

leslie :-D · Jan 23, 2006

i did a quick search and could find sev'l articles re: 'coma stimulation' for those who were slowly emerging from a coma. i did come up w/1 useful link:

http://www.comarecovery.org/comaarousal.shtm

again, this link probably refers to those that are emerging from a coma.

perhaps if i did (or you did) a search on pvs interventions, you might come up w/some evidence-based practice.

but again, to me the circulatory & respiratory benefits cannot be questioned, nevermind the implication of the lack of dignity when letting a pt lay in bed like a vegetable....for me, i wouldn't need any evidence.

good luck!

leslie