NURS 334 Study Guide - Final Guide: Intracranial Hemorrhage, Central Nervous System, Cerebral Hypoxia
Document Summary
Hockenberry: wong"s nursing care of infants and children, 10th edition. Key points - print: level of consciousness is the most important indicator of neurologic health. Various levels include full consciousness, confusion, disorientation, lethargy, obtundation, stupor, coma, and persistent vegetative state: an altered state of consciousness may be the outcome of several processes that affect the central nervous system (cns). Impaired neurologic function can result from a direct or indirect cause. Some altered states, such as the diffuse changes observed in encephalitis, are directly related to cerebral insult. Others are the result of dysfunction in other organs or processes. For example, biochemical changes can impair neurologic function without morphologic findings, as in hypoglycemia: respiratory effectiveness is the primary concern in the care of an unconscious child, and establishment of an adequate airway is always the first priority. Carbon dioxide has a potent vasodilating effect and will increase cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure (icp).
