Monitoring and recording patients’ neurological observations

Abstract

This article provides a detailed account of how to monitor and record neurological observations. It outlines the importance of neurological observations in acutely ill patients and focuses on carrying out observations using the Glasgow Coma Scale.

Nurses' self‐confidence and attitudes in using the Glasgow Coma Scale: a primary study

“…Neurological monitoring is a vital aspect of a nurse's skill set (Dawes, ). Patients admitted for neurological conditions, such as stroke, often present with impaired consciousness, such as fluctuating lucidity.…”

Nursing role in monitoring during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in the peri-arrest period: A review

“…The clinical finding of bilateral pupillary dilation with loss of pupillary light reflexes is a late sign of ischemic brain injury. 19 There are no neurologic signs that can predict outcome in the first hours after ROSC. The ERC guidelines state that the absence of pupil light reflexes on day 3 is predictive of a poor outcome (death or vegetative state) with high specificity.…”

Patients with disturbances in consciousness as observed by clinical nurses: Analysis of nursing records

“…Therefore, by accurately assessing a patient's level of consciousness, the nurse is able to detect neurological changes and communicate with the medical staff to initiate prompt action, in order to improve survival outcomes and minimize long-term sequelae [1]. Therefore, studies of patients with consciousness disturbances have been investigated in order to verify the reliability and accuracy of assessment tools for assessing various levels of consciousness such as the Glasgow Coma Scale and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”