NCLEX Review & Nursing School

– a trauma in the spinal cord (partial or complete) that traumatize and disrupt the nerve tracts and neurons within our system.  A spinal cord injury can be classified as either complete or incomplete

PATIENT WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY ASSESSMENT:

ACUTE RESPIRATORY FAILURE

COMPROMISED RESPIRATORY FUNCTION

SENSORY AND MOTOR PARALYSIS WITHIN OR BELOW LEVEL OF INJURY.

Spinal Shock

– is also called a neurogenic shock.

Assessment includes:

• DECREASE OR LOSS OF REFLEX ACTIVITY, FLACCID PARALYSIS, BRADYCARDIA.
• USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN SEVERAL HOURS RIGHT AFTER INJURY.
• LOSS MOVEMENTS OF MUSCLES (FLACCID PARALAYSIS), BOWEL AND BLADDER.

Autonomic Dysreflexia

– also known as autonomic hyperrefelexia.

– caused by stimulus to the bladder or bowel

– Try to limit the catheterization of spinal cord patients to once every 12-14 hrs.

Asessment includes:

• HYPERTENSION (SEVERE)
• HEADACHE (THROBBING)

– also known as autonomic hyperrefelexia.