Introduction
Close to 100 million people living in the United States are impacted by at least one out of the several existing neurological disorders (Han et al., 2020). This study focuses on describing and discussing the medical management, communication or teaching for patients and families, cultural considerations, and the relevant priority nursing interventions for various neurological alterations.
Increased Intracranial Pressure
A health issue or brain injury can cause an increase in pressure inside an individual’s skull. This is what is referred to as increased intracranial pressure and is usually a dangerous condition (Koziarz et al., 2019).
Medical Management
Patients with increased intracranial pressure may experience decreased cerebral blood flow. In this case, to manage the condition, they have to be sedated. In situations where a patient has acute head injuries, outcomes can be improved by draining cerebrospinal fluids.
Communication/teaching
Patients need to know how to manage the condition, especially when it comes to identifying whether there are changes in cerebral blood flow.
Cultural Considerations
The medical practitioners should consider the literacy of the patient concerning the specific disorder. By considering the knowledge of the sick person, nurses would be able to provide the necessary information concerning the condition to the individual. As a result, these people would be able to better manage the disorder, thereby leading to better outcomes.
Nursing interventions
For patients with increased intracranial pressure, immediate nursing interventions include offering circulatory support as required, maintaining adequate ventilation and oxygenation, and securing the airway.
Rationales
The rationale behind positioning the head of a patient at a particular angle is to reduce pressure on the spinal cord (Koziarz et al., 2019). Additionally, the temperature of an individual indicates that the condition of the person is worsening. Monitoring these temperature increases could go a long way in managing the condition.
Skull Fractures
A skull fracture refers to a crack in the skull, which is also called the cranial bone. Numerous types of skull fractures exist; however, their main cause is a blow or an impact on the head strong enough to crack the cranial bone (Barbosa et al., 2020). A rear case that results in skull fractures is an injury to the brain.
Medical Management
To manage the condition, individuals have to ensure that they continuously check for severe bleeding. In addition, skull fractures can constantly cause pain. Therefore, a person is advised to take pain-relieving medications (Barbosa et al., 2020). In a case where a fracture is out of position, an individual can seek medical assistance that would ensure that the condition is rectified.
Communication/teaching
In terms of communication and teaching patients, they need to know how to identify such symptoms of discrepancies in the contour of the bone. Patients should be taught about the dangers of skull fractures and the need to seek immediate medical assistance.
Cultural Considerations
Nurses should consider an individual’s language while diagnosing and conducting a diagnosis.
Nursing interventions
Nurses indicate that patients should maintain limb rest or bed rest. In addition, those with skull fractures should provide joint support below and above the sited fractured, particularly when turning and moving. Patients not within the hospital environment should secure bed rests under their mattresses or should be provided with orthopedic beds.
Rationales
Supporting joints below and above the fracture sites and maintaining limb rest offer stability to the patient, thereby reducing the chances of disturbing muscle spasms and alignment, which promotes healing (Barbosa et al., 2020).
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury refers to a trauma to the spinal cord leading to alterations, either permanent or temporary, in the normal motor of the autonomic, sensory, or motor of the cord (Alizadeh et al., 2019).
Medical Management
In emergency situations, surgery may be recommended when trauma to the spinal cord affects another area of the body (Alizadeh et al., 2019).
Communication/teaching
Communication with patients should be directed towards ensuring that they can identify signs of spinal cord injury.
Cultural Considerations
The cultural background of an individual is an important factor to consider when treating a patient with spinal cord injuries.
Nursing interventions
Nurses should limit the movement of the spine for patients with spinal cord injuries. Secondly, the neck should also be immobilized by the use of a hard collar (Alizadeh et al., 2019). Finally, in situations involving reversible compression injury, surgery may be recommended
Rationales
Immobilizing the neck and the spinal cord is important because it helps prevent further injury to the region. Surgery is significant in treating deteriorating neurology, thereby helping the patient manage the condition.
Cerebrovascular Disease
Cerebrovascular disease is a combination of conditions that affect the blood vessels and blood flow in the brain (Shah et al., 2018). Blood flow issues may occur from the narrowing of blood vessels, blood vessel rupture, artery blockage, and clot formation.
Medical Management
Patients may be provided with anticoagulants such as aspirins to thin their blood, thereby reducing the risk of blood clots (Shah et al., 2018).
Communication/teaching
Patients should be taught how to monitor their blood pressure to reduce emergency situations.
Cultural Considerations
Nurses may make cultural assumptions about a particular group of people. Cultural assumptions often lead to practitioners developing a wrong impression concerning a patient, and this may be considered discrimination.
Nursing interventions
Nursing interventions may include the provision of medication to patients with cerebrovascular disease. Surgery can be considered in more severe cases, and finally, speech or physical therapy can be required in some situations.
Rationales
Medications are administered to individuals whose blood vessels are less than 50% narrowed or blocked (Shah et al., 2018). Surgery can be done to remove blockages or plaque or in circumstances where a stent insertion is required.
Status Epilepticus
Status Epilepticus refers to an individual having more than one seizure within a period of five minutes or one that lasts for more than five minutes without a person returning to normal consciousness levels (Seinfeld et al., 2016). This condition may lead to permanent brain damage, or in worse situations; it can result in death.
Medical Management
The first step in managing this condition is by assessing the oxygenation and airway of the patient. Secondly, one should obtain intravenous access and check for blood pressure changes.
Communication/teaching
Families should be taught how to provide first aid to patients undergoing seizures. Additionally, the patient should know how to check for blood pressure changes to avoid some incidents of seizures.
Cultural Considerations
Some cultures relate seizures to spiritual or religious denominations, and this may inhibit treatment.
Nursing interventions
One of the nursing interventions, in this case, is monotherapy, which is a type of therapy that uses one treatment type.
Rationales
Monotherapy is advisable since it reduces the probability of serious effects and circumvents drug interactions. Anticonvulsant medications depend on how accurate the condition is and helps in treating the condition (Seinfeld et al., 2016).
Conclusion
The study focuses on discussing neurological alterations that affect patients and how they could be managed. Some of these conditions include increased intracranial pressure, skull fractures, spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular disease, and status epilepticus. Increased intracranial pressure is caused by an injury to the brain that causes an increase in pressure and is usually accompanied by pain in the skull. When an individual experiences a blow huge enough to crack the skull, this is what is referred to as a skull fracture.
References
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Barbosa, A., Fernandes, F. A., Alves de Sousa, R. J., Ptak, M., & Wilhelm, J. (2020). Computational modeling of skull bone structures and simulation of skull fractures using the YEAHM head model. Biology, 9(9), 267. Web.
Han, L., Cai, T., Liu, J., Peng, Y., & Zhou, M. (2020). Burden of maternal disorders in China from 1990 to 2017: Findings from the global burden of disease study 2017. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.
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Seinfeld, S., Goodkin, H. P., & Shinnar, S. (2016). Status Epilepticus. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 6(3), a022830. Web.
Shah, R., Wilkins, E., Nichols, M., Kelly, P., El-Sadi, F., Wright, F. L., & Townsend, N. (2018). Epidemiology report: Trends in sex-specific cerebrovascular disease mortality in Europe based on WHO mortality data. European Heart Journal, 40(9), 755-764. Web.