Coma patients

DamaNegra · Dec 3, 2009

Help! I need some research about the care of a patient in a coma and I can't seem to find the information I need. I have a character who's in a deep coma, and the care of her is essential to my story.

For starters:
- How do you feed a coma patient? IV?
- How do you deal with the waste? You put them diapers? Or some kind of fancy equipment?
- Bathing?
- What kinds of tests do you have to run to determine wether a patient's conscious or not?

I hope someone can help me answer these questions, or at least point me in the right direction, because so far my research has been unsuccesful

Thanks in advance!

CheekyWench · Dec 3, 2009

- feeding tube & IV saline
- diapers and catheter
- foam shampoo and sponge bath
- don't know the last part.

My mom was in a coma twice.

DamaNegra · Dec 3, 2009

Thanks for the info!

Wiskel · Dec 4, 2009

for question 4 use the Glasgow Coma Scale

http://www.le.ac.uk/pa/teach/va/case_1/gcs.html

Also, the mattress will probably be an air one which inflates and deflates different sections over the course of the day to prevent the same part of the body pressing against it for too long as constant pressure = bedsore.

Craig

Tsu Dho Nimh · Dec 4, 2009

- What kinds of tests do you have to run to determine wether a patient's conscious or not?

Glasgow Coma Scale is not definitive- it'sused where you don't have time or equip0ment to doa thorough evaluation.

You also need some EEG measuring while various stimuli are given. Look up how to diagnose a coma on Google.

Coma patients

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

CheekyWench

O.o

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

Wiskel

practical experience, FTW

Tsu Dho Nimh