PTA Flashcards
1
Q
Define retrograde amnesia
A
Loss of past memory from prior to the injury
2
Q
Define anterograde amnesia
A
Unable to form new memories
3
Q
What does “‘PTA” stand for?
A
Post traumatic amnesia
4
Q
What type of brain injury is the Westmead PTA Scale appropriate for?
A
Closed traumatic brain injuries
5
Q
When do you use the revised Westmead PTA scale and the normal Westmead PTA scale?
A
- Revised in the ED hourly until the client achieves three consecutive perfect scores
- Normal once admitted daily until client achieves 12/12 questions for three consecutive days
6
Q
When can you change the pictures in the Westmead PTA scale?
A
After they get 12/12 questions
7
Q
When is PTA considered over for a patient?
A
On the first of the three consecutive days that a perfect score of 12 is recorded.
8
Q
What is the importance of knowing whether the client has PTA? (4 reasons)
A
- Client care. Measuring PTA monitors the client’s mental state during the actute recovery stage. Behaviours associated with PTA include agitation, irritability and restlessness.
- Rehabilitation. If a patient is in PTA, they cannot retain new information and thus should not commence rehab.
- Neuropsychological testing. Any cognitive testing will have low validity.
- Index of severity. The duration of PTA is used as an index of severity for prognosis.
9
Q
Duration of PTA = Injury severity
A
less then 5 mins - very mild 5 - 60 mins - mild/concussion 1 - 24 house - mild/concussion 1 - 7 days - moderate 1 - 4 weeks - severe more than 4 weeks - very severe more than 6 weeks - chronic amnesia
