Rehabilitation Nursing for Brain Injury
Presented by Cheryl Lehman
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Care of the person with a brain injury can be challenging, and rehabilitation may be short or long-term, in-patient or out-patient. With a new recognition of concussion as brain injury, numbers of recognized brain injuries have increased, and research and treatment continue to evolve. This course presents an overview of brain injury rehabilitation, beginning with the changes in physiology, and including information on key assessment parameters, rehabilitation nursing interventions, ideal educational objectives, and anticipated functional outcomes depending upon the type of injury and its effects.
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Meet your instructor
Cheryl Lehman
Dr. Cheryl Lehman has been a registered nurse since graduating from the Decatur Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1978. Since that time, she earned a BSN from Maryville University-St. Louis in 1990; an MSN in Adult Health Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston in the Clinical Nurse…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. The Numbers
This chapter introduces the history of brain injury rehabilitation in the United States. The statistics related to brain injury will be addressed, including demographics, causes, types of injury, recovery, and causes of morbidity and mortality. Primary and secondary injuries will be compared, and “severity” defined.
2. Assessment Tools in TBI
This chapter provides a quick review of the assessment tools used for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Agitated Behavior Scale, Coma/Near Coma Scale, JFK Coma Recovery Scale, Disability Rating Scale, Rancho Los Amigos Scale, and others, will be described and compared.
3. The Pathophysiology of Brain Injury
This chapter examines the biological changes that a person experiences due to a brain injury. Focal and diffuse injuries will be defined and compared. Functional correlates of injury pathology will be introduced, and deficits associated with site of injury will be reviewed. Concussion care will be discussed.
4. Assessment and Treatment by Body System
This chapter will review, by body system, appropriate nursing assessment parameters and interventions for the person with brain injury. The neurologic, respiratory, cardiovascular, sensory/perceptual, elimination, nutritional, musculoskeletal, and integumentary systems will be discussed in relation to the injured brain.
5. Assessment Parameters for Communication and Behavior
This chapter will review appropriate nursing assessment parameters and interventions for issues often seen in the person with brain injury. These include the aspects of communication, behavior, safety, psychosocial responses, sexual issues, and education. Patient goals and discharge planning will be discussed in relation to the injured brain.
6. Potential Medical Complications and Challenges During Rehabilitation
Brain injury may set the stage for unique medical complications that may emerge in the acute rehabilitation period for the person with brain injury. This chapter will focus on medical complications in patients with brain injury that may occur during acute rehabilitation. Challenges discussed include medications, ongoing cognitive issues, attention and concentration, new learning, and ongoing behavioral issues. The concept of TBI as a chronic disease will be introduced.