Neurological

• 5 minutes without oxygen can cause permanent damage.
• Brain is not fully formed till you are 25 years old.
• Neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout life. Key to rehabilitating brain injury
• Cognition - the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
• Subjective Data - What we are told. e.g. From patient, family & friends, carers and health professionals.
• Objective Data - Data that is gathered through observation and experimentation. e.g. ABCD, Vital signs, Pathophysiology and imaging MRI, CT, ultrasounds.
• Neurological Subjective Data - Health history = Pain involving head or nerve related (burning), Altered sensation – numbness, tingling. Altered function – weakness, incoordination. Speech, memory. Dizziness, seizures. Head injury/surgery and medication.
• Neurological Objective Data - Inspection – Alertness, symmetry, trauma, colour/texture, lesions/tumours/scars.
• CNS Data - Mental status – level of consciousness, orientation. Cranial nerves – symmetry of face, smile, poke out tongue, puff cheeks.
• PNS Objective Data = Motor system – strength, equal movement arms and legs, sensory system - sensation and reflexes.
• Neurological assessment consists of: Level of Consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale) + Motor response (strength right = left) + Pupil response (size, PEARLA) + Vital Signs (Temp, Pulse, BP, RR).
• Assessment of CNS: Mental Status -Level of Consciousness = level of awareness of self & the environment. 3 levels of assessment: Eyes Opening, Best Verbal and motor response.