Educating Nursing Staff to Care for the Spinal Cord Injury Patient

The National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) Resource Center recognizes that a nursing team, in a particular setting, may not be familiar with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D). Further, we recognize and understand that nurses and related personnel may need assistance to better understand the complex care needs of a person with a SCI. Valid SCI/D information and resources are useful and important tools to assist in necessary staff education. Specific knowledge and understanding about SCI/D is essential to develop best practices and deliver patient care with improved outcomes. We are always eager to provide guidance when we are contacted by professional staff members who want to increase their knowledge about caring for the person who has sustained or is living with a SCI/D.

Neurotechnology for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Clinical Applications and Resources - Consumer Version – Part 1

You or someone you care about has sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI). You have heard that there are many advances and research occurring in the treatment and management of spinal cord injury. This fact sheet will help inform you about neurotechnology, a new field that offers technical devices and therapies for persons living with SCI. It is divided into two parts. Part 1 provides an overview of neurotechnology and its applications to spinal cord injury. Part 2 provides a listing of the devices and therapies available and additional resources. We recommend reading Part 1 first and then using Part 2 as a resource.

Neurotechnology for Spinal Cord Injury

Clinical Applications and Resources. Consumer Version – Part 2

You or someone you care about has sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI). You have heard that there are many advances and research occurring in the treatment and management of spinal cord injury.  This fact sheet will help inform you about neurotechnology, a new field that offers technical devices and therapies for persons living with SCI. It is divided into two parts.  Part 1 provides an overview of neurotechnology and its applications to spinal cord injury.  Part 2 provides a listing of the devices and therapies available and additional resources.  We recommend reading Part 1 first and then using Part 2 as a resource.

Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury: Information and Resources

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a catastrophic injury that causes multi-system changes and far reaching consequences. It not only affects the injured person but has a significant impact on family, friends and all those who love and care for the injured individual. Pediatric SCI has profound implications for the child/youth, his/her parents, siblings and extended relationships.

Autonomic Dysreflexia

Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD), also known as Hyperreflexia, is a potentially dangerous complication of spinal cord injury (SCI). In AD, an individual's blood pressure may rise to dangerous levels and if not treated can lead to stroke and possibly death. Individuals with SCI at the T-6 level or above are at greater risk. AD usually occurs because of a noxious (irritating) stimulus below the level of the injury. Symptoms include headache, facial flush, perspiration, and a stuffy nose.

Spinal Cord Injury Treatment and Cure Research

When someone sustains a spinal cord injury (SCI), one of the most difficult issues to deal with is that there is no "cure" at the present time. One would think that, with the "explosion in scientific knowledge" we hear about almost every day, SOMEONE would be doing SOMETHING to find a cure for people with SCI. If we can achieve the impossible in other areas, like transplanting entire organs and organ systems from one person to another and isolating human genes, why can't we figure out why the spinal cord does not repair itself and then do something to correct this biological problem? Compared to a lot of the scientific puzzles that HAVE been solved, it shouldn't be all that difficult...

Pressure Sores

A pressure sore (or bed sore) is an injury to the skin and tissue under it. Sitting or lying in the same position will begin to cut off the flow of blood to that area, blocking oxygen and vital nutrients from maintaining healthy tissue. When the tissue becomes starved to too long a period of time it begin to die and an pressure sore starts to form.

Prevention

How can you prevent spinal cord injury?

Range Of Motion

The body, under normal circumstances, is constantly moving. This movement, often times an unconscious act, will keep the joints loose and prevents pressure sores from occurring by evenly distributing the bodies weight. Individuals that have suffered a Spinal Cord Injury no-longer have the ability to move all the parts of their bodies. What most people take for granted and do, for the most part, unconsciously must now become a conscious effort that may require the assistance of a second person.

Skin Care

The skin on our bodies is made up of two layers. The top layer is called the epidermis and the under layer is called the dermis. The epidermis is also made up of two layers. The outer, or surface, layer is made up of dead skin cells and the inner layer is made up of living skin cells. The surface layer is continually being shed and replaced with newer cells from the inner layer. Shedding takes place as we shower or clean ourselves and even rubs off from the friction of our clothes.