A nurse notes that a patient with a traumatic brain injury is having a rapid decline in level of consciousness. What should the nurse do to help this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. Hyperventilating the patient lowers the ICP by lowering the PaCO₂ that is causing vasoconstriction of the cerebral blood vessels and reducing cerebral blood flow. 2. This position places the patient at greater risk of permanent damage from decreased cerebral blood flow. 3. Emergency surgery might be needed, but hyperventilating the patient will temporarily allow more time for informed decision making. 4. Although this may be a life and death event, the activity that might reduce this risk can be temporarily avoided by hyperventilation first.

A Nurse Notes That a Patient with a Traumatic Brain