Early Neurological Deterioration in Older Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury

The incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) hospitalizations and deaths among older adults has spiked in recent years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016a). Although many of these brain injuries are life threatening, the likelihood of treatment at a trauma center hospital declines with age (Newgard et al., 2011). Injury severity is often unrecognized at the scene and patients arrive at emergency departments (EDs) with near normal Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores (Brewer et al., 2011; Kehoe et al., 2015; Salottolo et al., 2014).

Source: International Emergency Nursing - November 28, 2016 Category: Nursing Authors: Linda J. Scheetz, Michael A. Horst, Richard B. Arbour Source Type: research