Nervous about Neuro!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Hi everyone, I am in my second year of nursing, graduate in may and I am needing some help with neuro. We dont exactly have the greatest teacher, she flys through the powerpoints and didnt even have half the notes for us to look through. Her tests are always tough because she doesnt take the time to teach. She doesnt give us a good idea of what to study and what not to study. It is very frustrating! Our test is next Monday

Anyways, I was wondering if any of you have any sort of ways to help with the neuro drugs? or anything that would help with Spinal cord injuries, Reye's syndrome, Meningitis, Hydrocephalitis. If you could help me I would greatly appreciate it!! thanks for your time!

-Amber

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiology, Hematology,.

I work in the Neuro ICU and have a decent understanding, atliest with the ICU issues at hand. I dont really know what to tell you because your queston is very broad. from what you have said Ill sounds like this is more of a crunch than anything. you need to know what you are dealing with brain bleeds, hydrocephalus, stroke thangs in the head, things that cause increased ICP. Look at neuro status this being oriantation, pupils, extra ocular movement, following comands. we arnt really concerned with reflexes because pain reflexes is followed through with in the spine cord or atliest lower functioning. If it is spinal cord, where is it. C= arms, breathing, and everthing below it, lumbar legs you get the point. dont forget about digestive status in spinal cord injury. lets move on to drugs, these are hard because you cant really think about them in classes. they are more individual. when thinking about drugs all i can say is DONT let the brain or spinal cord swell. so everyone is on a steriod. you dont want the brain to spasm, Mannatol is like candy and lowers ICP but also CVP so they often also get albumin. we dont really controll these peoples pain because you lose your neuro exam. any other more direct questons?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Yes, thank you. So..this is the reason why they dont get opiates? So that they dont lose their LOC because we need that to assess them? Correct?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiology, Hematology,.

right on

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Okay so, something I was reading and I am not sure if I completely understand this one...it says that before they obtain a C&S or CSF for menningitis, they go ahead and give a broad spectrum antibiotic. My question is this: What happens if it is viral and not bacterial? I am confused on this one :idea:

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiology, Hematology,.

I know right. They do that with almost all of our pts. we culture them and start them on vanc and zosyn before the results come back. and thats with any kind of infection. I heard a stat that more people die from sepsis than an MI I guess they are just trying to stay ahead of the game. I dont really know what to say about that one except i guess we are willing to take the risk that its viral like you said.

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