A healthcare professional suspects a patient is brain dead. How would the professional assess for brain death?
A)Determine if the patient can make voluntary movements.
B)Perform tests to assess if the patient is in a coma.
C)Remove the patient's ventilator to see if spontaneous breathing occurs.
D)Monitor the patient for eye movements that seem purposeful.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Apnea is viewed as a criterion of brainstem death which represents irreversible total brain damage. If the healthcare professional removed the patient's ventilator and the patient made spontaneous respirations, the healthcare professional could conclude that the patient demonstrates the criteria of brain death. The inability to make any voluntary movements may demonstrate akinetic mutism. A coma indicates injury or death to the cerebrum. Eye movements that seem purposeful could be a sign of locked-in syndrome.

A Healthcare Professional Suspects a Patient Is Brain Dead