Advanced Practice Nursing Guide to the Neurological Exam - Softcover

Armitage MS CNL APRN, Alexandra

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0826126081 ISBN 13: 9780826126085

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company, 2015

Synopsis

Today's advanced practice registered nursing and physician assistant programs have been allocating less time to the study of neurology, leaving new practitioners with an uncertain grasp of how to approach the neurological patient. Here is a "how to" manual for knowledgeably conducting the basic neurological examination and confidently applying exam findings to the interpretation of common neurological symptoms. It explains all facets of the standard neuro exam that is conducted in clinical and hospital settings and includes an abundance of photos, illustrations, and useful algorithms. The book examines how to use the exam results to determine a likely diagnosis or to identify an area of concern for further diagnostic tests. The text presents both basic and advanced concepts related to the exam to foster a deeper understanding of the meaning and physiology underlying an abnormal finding.

Step by step, the text describes how to conduct the exam and provides photos, illustrations, and diagrammatic representations of examination steps and concepts. Algorithms bring a logical problem-solving approach to clinical thinking, and reference tables provide information at a glance for the busy practitioner. The book will be beneficial both for new practitioners who seek mastery of neurology fundamentals and a solid understanding of exam findings, as well as for those who have mastered the fundamentals and wish to gain more sophisticated diagnostic skills in order to accurately analyze the meaning of each symptom in the broader context of neurological practice.

Key Features:

• Presents a clear, step-by-step description of how to conduct a neurological examination and apply findings in the clinical setting
• Addresses the needs of both new and seasoned practitioners
• Provides a wealth of illustrations and diagrams to reinforce concepts
• Uses algorithms to enhance a logical problem-solving approach
• Includes quick reference tables for the busy practitioner

Alexandra Armitage, MS, APRN, CNL, is a clinical practitioner who has worked and taught in various clinical and educational neurological and neurosurgical settings. She received her BS from the University of Natal, South Africa, and her MS and post-master's APRN certificate from the University of New Hampshire. She is currently working as a provider at Neurosurgery of Southern New Hampshire in Nashua, New Hampshire. She has given numerous neurology and neurosurgical lectures to both nursing and nurse practitioner students and is keenly interested in advancing the neurological knowledge of all nurses. In addition, she is the book reviewer for the New Hampshire Nurse's Association. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and the American Academy of Neurology.

About this title

About the Author

Alexandra Armitage, MS, CNL, APRN, is an experienced neurology and neurosurgical nurse practitioner who practices at the Spine and Brain Center of New England, Nottingham, NH, USA. In this venue she provides both outpatient and inpatient care of neurosurgical and orthopedic spine patients. She has also worked as a critical care nurse at the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center and as an NP in primary care for The Neurology Associates in Concord, NH, USA. In this position she provided independent primary care and in-patient care along with the supervising of neurologists. Through her extensive experience, Ms. Armitage has become acutely aware that both the staff nurse and the APRN need far more guidance in conducting the neurology exam at the bedside, and analyzing the results to quickly and competently determine the neurological status of the individual patient.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0826126081
• ISBN 13: 9780826126085
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 262