Neurology vs Neurosurgery

[nurse1903]

Can anyone tell me the big differences between the patient populations seen on these two floors?

What would one expect on a neurology unit vs a neurosurgical unit?

[NCineas]

Neurology: Stroke patients versus Neurosurgery: Patients who have had surgery due to strokes, craniotomies, spinal surgeries, transphenoidal surgery, tumor resections. Neurosurgery is really cool. I managed a Neurosurgical ICU and Neurosurgery floor unit.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

The two big hospitals I've worked in have both populations combined on the floors; of course with their own services following them. My background is hospital 1: neurosciences floor, then SICU which included neuro. Hospital 2: SICU which also includes neuro. Hospital 2 is a level 1 trauma center.

Strokes with or without tPA are the big population seen by the neurology service. On hospital 1 floor we also saw a fair amount of MS pt's having plasmapheresis, Guillian Barre, and seizure workups. At both hospitals, also had pt's without a diagnosis who were getting worked up. One young guy came in w/ muscle weakness and a week later was completely unresponsive and having seizures. I don't think they ever did figure out what was wrong w/ him; he was "in a coma" for a few weeks, and then it all resolved as quickly as he deteriorated. A teenage girl who kept getting transferred back and forth between the neuro floor and psych floor. That was sad.

Hospital 1's neurosurg service was mostly tumor resections, and some bleeds.

Hospital 2's neurology service (at least in the ICU) takes the ischemic strokes. Every so often, we've also had a bacterial meningitis or abcess pt. Neurosurg service takes the hemorrhagic strokes and other misc. brain bleeds (we see a looooooooot of brain bleeds w/ uncontrolled HTN), and many many traumatic head injuries/SCIs

I prefer neurosurgery myself.

[Angels91084]

I work on a combined neuro/neurosurg floor. Neurology primarily consists of stroke (ischemic/hemmoragic), MS, MG, optic neuritis, numbness and tingling, migraine, slurred speech. Neurosurg brain tumor, spinal surgery

[Angels91084]

Also we have a whole seizure wing that falls under neurology