"This practical and common-sense approach is an excellent companion to the care you provide to your patient." -- Grace H. Bryan

President, Association of Neurosurgical Physician Assistants

[From the Foreword]

This pocket-sized guide distills complicated neurological conditions to deliver the essentials of best care for the neurocritical patient. Often missing from acute care courses, neurocritical care is a growing field, with more patients than ever admitted to the ICU for neurocritical conditions. This specialty requires specificity and precision, but as this practical resource demonstrates, the intricacies of neurocritical care should not be an insurmountable obstacle for any APP.

Written in an easy-access style, Fast Facts About Neurocritical Care covers the defining characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnostics, treatment, and nursing considerations of common neurological disorders seen in acute care settings. Chapters review the assessment and diagnosis of common and not-so-common neurological conditions that can often be difficult to recognize and manage. With learning objectives, illustrations, and Fast Facts boxes highlighting critical content, this reference is an invaluable resource for orientation into this oftenchallenging specialty.

Key Features:

• Useful pocket resource for difficult-to-master neurological conditions presenting in ICU
• Addresses a growing area of healthcare-a rapidly expanding specialty requiring well-versed nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants
• Reviews the basic neurological exam, as well as exam of the comatose patient
• Explains pertinent diagnostics including CSF interpretation and different imaging modalities
• Discusses commonly used treatments and medications
• Presents an orientation resource to this challenging specialty

Diane McLaughlin, DNP, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, is a critical care nurse practitioner who works in the departments of neurosurgery and neurocritical care at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and in critical care at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Foreword Grace H. Bryan, PA-C

Preface

Part I THE NEURO EXAM

1. The Neurological Examination

2. Neurological Examination of a Patient With Stroke

3. Neurological Examination of the Comatose Patient

4. Intracranial Hypertension

Part II STROKE

5. Ischemic Stroke

6. Hemorrhagic Stroke

7. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Part III TRAUMA

8. Traumatic Brain Injury

9. Spinal Cord Injury

Part IV NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS

10. Guillain-Barré Syndrome

11. Myasthenia Gravis

Part V SEIZURES

12. Isolated Seizures

13. Status Epilepticus

Part VI NEUROINFECTIOUS DISORDERS

14. Meningitis

15. Encephalitis

Part VII BRAIN DEATH

16. Determination of Brain Death

17. Organ Donation

Appendices

A. NIH Stroke Scale

B. ISNCSCI Worksheet

Index