UNCONSCIOUS PATIENT

Course overview

UNCONSCIOUSNESS IS GENERALLY CAUSED BY A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT OF EITHER THE RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM IN THE BRAINSTEM, BOTH CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES, OR BILATERAL THALAMI. THE CAUSES FOR AN UNCONSCIOUS PATIENT CAN BE DIFFERENTIATED INTO STRUCTURAL PATHOLOGY LOCAL TO THE BRAIN, OR SYSTEMIC PATHOLOGY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE RISK FACTORS, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF UNCONSCIOUS PATIENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ENHANCING CARE DELIVERY FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.