Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.)最新文献

Mary Glover was a Head Nurse at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. She was killed in a plane crash more than 25 years ago. Yet, through this neuroscience nurse's passion for her specialty, we share in her legacy through the annual Mary Glover Lecture, which was established by her parents after her death. The first Mary Glover Lecturer was Pamela Mitchell, a well-known neuroscience nurse from the School of Nursing at the University of Washington. She is leaving a multifaceted legacy through her research on intracranial pressure and quality of care as well as her books and her mentorship. Jessie Young has left a legacy as the founder and first president of the Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses (CANN). CANN is leaving a legacy with many firsts among Canadian nursing specialty organizations. Leaving a legacy is not just about donating money or writing a famous book. For most of us, our legacy comes in the little everyday things of life. Ask yourself, what is the legacy that you are leaving as a neuroscience nurse and as an individual?

Approximately 84% of all stroke patients with hemiplegia will experience shoulder injury and pain. The importance of maintaining proper posture while positioning and transferring a stroke patient is key to decreasing risk for shoulder injury. Shoulder subluxation injury post-stroke is a consequence of sustained hemiplegia and spasticity. Current research evidence suggests that using therapies such as gentle range of motion and functional electrical stimulation may reduce and prevent shoulder subluxation and hemiplegic shoulder pain. However, physiotherapists are currently the only professionals who can implement such therapies. Considering that stroke care provided by neuroscience nurses includes transferring, positioning and assisting in activities of daily living, it is clear that nurses are an important part of the therapy process. Therefore, the question is: "What is the role of the neuroscience nurse in the reduction and prevention of shoulder pain post-stroke?" The purposes of this paper are to i) discuss the causes of shoulder subluxation and related pain post-stroke, ii) review current best practice in prevention and treatment of shoulder subluxation, and iii) explore ways in which the acute neuroscience nurse can prevent or reduce shoulder subluxation in the hemiplegic stroke patient.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada and, each year, approximately 50,000 Canadians will suffer a stroke with a range of severities from mild, short duration symptoms to significant long-term disability or death. Of these 50,000 patients, at least 20,000 are hospitalized. Earlier this year, a core set of evidence-based performance indicators were identified by a national consensus panel that may be used to determine the quality of care provided to stroke patients in hospital during the acute phase of illness. Nurses play a critical role in stroke care across the continuum and recently published stroke assessment guidelines for nurses clearly describe key approaches to assessment and/or screening of stroke survivors. Many of the nursing assessments and/or screening actions recommended in the guidelines have direct or indirect associations with the recent performance indicators. This article describes where those relationships exist and the role nurses may play in determining overall performance for acute stroke patient care delivery during the hospitalization phase of the stroke continuum of care.

A survey to explore which neurological stroke assessment scales were being used by nurses at all nine regional stroke centres (RSCs) in Ontario, and education strategies for implementation of the new scales was conducted in 2004. Findings revealed that nurses are moving away from reliance on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) towards use of more standardized stroke severity scales to facilitate assessment, documentation, and care planning with acute stroke survivors. Scales used include the Canadian Neurological Scale and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. Consistency in use between nurses was identified as an implementation challenge that was best addressed through integration of the scale into the process of care and documentation and bedside education.

In this paper, we provide generic guidelines for writing proposals for research funds. These guidelines apply to quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research proposals. A proposal for research funding provides an overview of the planned research and is required by funding agencies. The proposal is submitted for evaluation and ranking by a review committee according to the criteria put forth by that particular agency. It may be necessary to submit proposals to more than one agency to acquire sufficient operating and infrastructure funding for a research project.

In this issue, we profile the role of nurses, who are the helping hands, listeners and educators who teach the world about epilepsy. They work on the front line of epilepsy health care. The following articles describe their roles, experiences and invaluable contribution to patients with epilepsy and their families.

Craniopharyngiomas account for approximately nine per cent of pediatric brain tumours and one to two per cent of adult brain tumours. Though considered benign, the compressive nature of these relentless tumours can produce catastrophic sequelae. This case study pays tribute to a 33-year-old woman who faced numerous surgeries, adjuvant therapy, and many of the complications associated with a craniopharyngioma. The interdisciplinary neuroscience team, along with colleagues from neuroradiology, ophthalmology, and endocrinology, joined together to care for Kerry and her family to meet their complex health and psychosocial needs. However, it was Kerry who taught us about perseverance, strength, and the power of an unconquerable human spirit.

The aim of this article is to review neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) literature and existing stroke NDT nursing research, as well as explore issues related to professional collaboration in stroke rehabilitation and implications for neuroscience nursing practice. NDT or the Bobath approach is used to encourage stroke patients to use the affected side of their body in order to promote and relearn normal movement and to reduce muscle spasticity. Neuroscience nurses have an important role in facilitating stroke patients to practise transferring out of bed and performing activities of daily living outside of physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions. Neuroscience nurses also care for stroke patients over a 24-hour perio. Therefore, it is important that nurses understand physiotherapy and occupational therapy strategies in stroke rehabilitation.

The rat that wishes to reach the goal of his learning and attain the reward, his very own mountain of cheese, must be able to navigate through the maze (Figure One). So the nurse, to reach the goal of understanding why the outward manifestations of shock occur must learn to navigate through the physiological maze of the body. After considering some general information on shock, we will embark on a tour through the maze created by the shock syndrome.