The connection between neurosciences and dialysis: A quick neurological assessment for hemodialysis nurses

McCallum, Charlotte NP-Adult, MN, CNeph(C)
Leonard, Margaret RN

Charlotte McCallum, NP-Adult, MN, CNeph(C), Nurse Practitioner, London Health Sciences Centre - Victoria Hospital, London, ON
Margaret Leonard, RN, London Health Sciences Centre -Victoria Hospital, London, ON

Address correspondence to: Charlotte McCallum, NP-Adult; M, CNeph(C), 800 Commissioners Road East, PO Box 5010, London, ON N6A 5W9

E-mail:[email protected]

Submitted for publication: March 5, 2012.

Accepted for publication in revised form: June 15, 2013.

CANNT Journal 23(3):p 20-26, July-August-September 2013.

ABSTRACT

Stroke is a significant medical emergency and occurs frequently in patients receiving renal replacement therapy. In 2005, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) published Nursing Best Practice Guidelines for Stroke, highlighting the necessity and expectation that all nurses, regardless of specialty, are able to perform an abbreviated neurological assessment, identify the symptoms of stroke, and respond to these as a medical emergency. This article highlights the significance of neurovascular disease in persons who receive renal replacement therapy, and serves as an educational review for dialysis nurses to increase their neurological functional assessment skills. The outlined abbreviated neurological assessment parallels the Canadian Neurological Scale, and is based on the practice recommendations published in the RNAO Nursing Best Practice Guidelines in 2005.