You are caring for a patient in Neuro-Trauma ICU who has suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and has had a craniotomy, repair of vessel damage, and placement of external ventricular drain (EVD). The patient is also on mechanical ventilation.    Which of the following statements is true about caring for this type of patient?

You have a head trauma patient with an EVD (external ventricular drain).  Currently he has a BP of 94/42 and his ICP reading says 23.  What is his current cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)? (2pt) List 2 MD orders you anticipate to improve this patient’s CPP (2pt)    

How many surfaces are included in a point angle?

If seizures are focal, they may have impaired awareness or occur without impaired awareness.  However, ALL generalized seizures have impaired awareness.

A patient with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was positive for a bleed on their CT of the head. The orders from the physician indicate the patient will be kept for 23 hours of observation in the hospital with frequent neuro checks and labs, then have a repeat CT of the head in the morning. As long as the bleed has not increased on tomorrow morning’s scan, the patient will then be discharged with a plan to follow up with the neurologist as an outpatient in 2 days.  Based on these orders the RN surmises the patient has which type of intracranial bleed?

You are administering the po medication Gabapentin to a patient for prevention of focal seizures.  You remember that last week you had a patient on this same drug for relief from nerve related pain.  How does this same medication manage to help in both instances??  

A man with a history of AV malformations in this immediate family is having an MRA (magnetic resonance angiogram) of the cerebral vessels to detect any possible AVMs for prophylactic treatment to avoid which type of IC bleed?

When caring for a patient who is receiving phenytoin, the nurse emphasizes meticulous oral hygiene to the patient.  This nursing intervention is based on the nurse’s knowledge that phenytoin has what effect on oral tissue?

Hip fractures are a common injury in elderly patients and can have a significant impact on that patient’s quality of life.  As a nurse, you are aware that….

A nurse working in the ED is caring for a 56-year-old woman with a hip fracture.  The nurse asks for details about the incident of the fracture including what the client was doing, where she was, and how far she fell.  The nurse is interested in the height of the fall because…