Spinal cord injury

Question 1

What does the spinal injury disrupt?

Answer 1

Spinal cord or blood supply

Question 2

What are the degrees of spinal injury?

Answer 2

Complete

Incomplete

Question 3

Complete spinal injury

Answer 3

Total loss of sensory and motor function; nothing in tact

Question 4

Incomplete spinal cord injury

Answer 4

Varying degrees of loss of function bc some of it is intact

Question 5

Main causes of spinal cord injuries

Answer 5

MVA

Falls

Violence

Sports

Question 6

Main risk factor for spinal cord injury

Answer 6

Young male

drugs and alcohol

Question 7

List of injury mechanisms that lead to spinal cord injury

Answer 7

Hyperflexion

Hyperextension

Axial loading

Rotation

Penetration

Question 8

What are the different types of damage that can occur to a spinal cord?

Answer 8

Concussion

Contusion

Laceration

Transection

Question 9

What does a contusion of the spinal cord lead to?

Answer 9

Edema

Possible neuronal death

Question 10

What is a spinal cord laceration?

Answer 10

Cord tear that is permanent

Question 11

What is a spinal cord transection?

Answer 11

Cord is severed leaving no function below the severed spot

Question 12

What causes the secondary injury of a spinal cord injury?

Answer 12

Cellular damage

Vascular changes

Decreased blood flow

Question 13

What do we want to avoid with a spinal cord injury?

Answer 13

Secondary injury

Neurogenic shock

Question 14

What needs to be included in the assessment for a _spinal cord injur_y?

Answer 14

Airway, breathing, circulation

Question 15

What do you need to do before assessing your patient with a spinal cord injury?

Answer 15

Make sure they are immobilized

• bed rest, log roll, midline
  
  • keep them suckers still!

Question 16

What can interfere with an accurate assessment of a spinal cord injury and give false results?

Answer 16

Spinal shock

Question 17

What is spinal shock?

Answer 17

Temporary suppression of reflexes

Question 18

What can cause hemorrhage and blood vessel damage in a spinal cord injury?

Answer 18

The edema - too much fluid causes a bulge and hemorrhage. It also can damage the vessels

Question 19

How often do we assessments for a spinal cord injury?

Answer 19

q4hours minimum

Question 20

Top 5 nursing priorities when managing a spinal cord injury

Answer 20

Immobilize

Airway management

Respiratory needs

Hemodynamic support

Neuro protection

Question 21

During intubation of a patient with a spinal cord injury, what do you do?

Answer 21

You keep the patient immbolized and still

Question 22

You have a high level spinal cord injury. What type of airway management do you anticipate?

Answer 22

Tracheostomy

Question 23

Patient has an injury @ C2. What does this mean for the patient and for you?

Answer 23

Means patient has impaired diaphragmatic innervation - so watch for aspiration risk since this means they can’t cough.

Question 24

What types of interventions will you be doing to support hemodynamics of a spinal cord injury?

Answer 24

Keep oxygenated

Fluids

Rule out shock and be monitoring for neurogenic shock (since this is an injury to spinal region)

Question 25

How do we provide neuroprotection to spinal cord injury patients?

Answer 25

Methprednisone steroid

Question 26

What is the concern when using Methprednisone steroid?

Answer 26

Blood sugar will rise

Question 27

What can we give to counteract the high BS with Methprednisone steroid?

Answer 27

Glucose control with insulin

Prophylactic protonix and prilosec for GI ulcers