Keywords

Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS), Cognitive Rest.

Abstract

Concussions and their associated symptoms are a growing health concern. The CDC reported in 2010 over 2.5 million people visited an emergency room for treatment of concussions and associated injuries: a 70% increase over the past decade.1 As the incidence of concussions continues to grow, Nurse Practitioners (NP) will be involved in the management of their follow-up care. Correctly managing these concussed patients is extremely important because a concussion can cause “... impairment affecting an individual’s memory, behavior, learning, and/or emotions. Appropriate diagnosis, management, and education are critical for helping these patients recover quickly and fully .” 2 The purpose of this article is to acquaint NPs with post concussion symptoms and present the most appropriate method for treating these symptoms.

Description

The College of Nursing showcases some of our best evidence based scholarly papers from graduate students in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. The papers address relevant clinical problems for advance practice nurses and are based on the best evidence available. Using a systematic approach students critically analyze and synthesize the research studies to determine the strength of the evidence regarding the clinical problem. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for clinical practice. The papers are published in professional journals and presented at professional meetings.