Background: About 25% of strokes for elderly patients are due to acute cerebral hemorrhage. Consequently, treatments to improve prognosis should be identified.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the type of nursing assistance given to patients with cerebral hemorrhage admitted to us from 2016 to 2018.
Results: We tried to identify are commended clinical nursing pathway for patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage, improving the clinical effects and nursing satisfaction and reducing adverse reactions.
Conclusions: There is significant learner concern regarding education within the cerebral hemorrhage patients. Although there are educational guidelines and focused neurocritical care educational materials, these alone do not satisfy educational needs. This study demonstrates the need for educational changes, but it does not assess best strategies or curricular content.
Acute cerebral hemorrhage; Cerebral hemorrhage; Clinical nursing pathway
Cerebral hemorrhage is a non-traumatic and spontaneous hemorrhage of cerebral parenchyma, caused by blood vessels rupturing owing to hypertensive arteriolar sclerosis. Cerebral hemorrhage has an acute onset, rapid development, early onset of hemiplegia and disturbance of consciousness. Morbidity and mortality are high, making it one of the most lethal diseases [1]. Acute cerebral hemorrhage has a high incidence in elderly patients, accounting for about 25% of all strokes [2]. Clinical manifestations following acute cerebral hemorrhage can be brain edema, intracranial hypertension, high fever, cerebral herniation, limb and speech disorder, breathing and heartbeat inhibition, shock and even death have been reported [3]. Cerebral hemorrhage survivors may suffer from a number of complications, which may markedly affect both patients and their families. Cerebral hemorrhage has a high disability rate and even higher mortality rate [4]. In patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage, the provisions that characterize the assistance of the critical neurological patient must be implemented, especially if the state of consciousness is compromised.
Nursing expertise and adequate staffing are important; nurses should receive focused initial and ongoingeducation and competency assessment for commonneurocritical care concepts, monitoring, proceduresand devices [5,6]. The principal contributors to quality patient outcomes are:
State of consciousness
• Assess the state of consciousness through the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and promptly detect the appearance of new neurological signs
• Monitor pupils frequently (diameter and reactivity to light stimulus)
• In case of psychomotor agitation, reassure the patient and inform the doctor
Breathing
• Ensure airway patency, keep the patient’s head in a slightly raised position, monitor oxygen saturation in the blood
• In case of respiratory depression, position the Guedel cannula, ventilate the patient with a mask and assist the resuscitator in endotracheal intubation maneuvers, if the respiratory autonomy fails
Cardiac activity
• Frequently detect blood pressure and heart rate
• Position a venous catheter allowing solution infusion and intravenous therapy. The correct dressing of the catheter insertion area will prevent infections
• Alteration of the hydroelectrolyte balance
• Guarantee the patient’s hydration via enteral or parenteral
• Keep a daily hydroelectrolyte balance, taking care to monitor hourly diuresis and detect any episodes of polyuria or oliguria
Hygiene
• Practice total hygiene based on patient autonomy
• Replace the bed linen avoiding sudden movements or rapid changes in position
• Take careful cleaning of the oral cavity even several times a day
Mobilization
It is necessary to ensure all measures to prevent thrombophlebitis and pressure sores by means of timely interventions. We must therefore:
• Assume correct postures with particular attention to any plegic limbs; the decubitus should be alternated with frequency and the permanence on the hemiplegic side must be shorter than that on the healthy side
• Use anti-bedsores (water, air mattresses, donuts, pillows)
• Passively mobilize the patient
Vomiting
In case of vomiting it is necessary to ensure a correct airway patency, avoiding the occurrence of “abingestis” pneumonia.
• Position the patient in lateral decubitus
• Export any foreign bodies from the oropharynx and aspirate the secretions
• Position a nasogastric tube if the patient is not autonomous
Nutrition
• Registered dietitian nutritionists should be available in case of malnutrition [6] Seizures
• Administer anticonvulsant drugs, according to the prescription
• Evaluate the airway patency and monitor the parameters
• Be ready to transfer the patient to intensive care, where necessary