Nursing Care of Head Injury

Emergency Care
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First consideration is to ensure a clear airway Keep spine straight; patient is carefully turned to a lateral or semiprone position Flexion or hypertension should be avoided in case there is a cervical fracture Keep patient covered, quiet and undistrubed

General Care:
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Establish airway Prevent aspiration pneumonia Check for cardiovascular complications Serach for new evidence of spinal injuries. Do not allow the newly injured patient to move about even though he/she is conscious. Observe the skull and scalp injuries. cover open head wound with the cleanest material avaialble at the scene Prevent infection. Gove prophylactic dose for tetanus. Observe for CSF leakage otorrhea, rhinorrhea, Battles sign-tenderness and eccymosis or mastoid bone especially for basilar skull fracture Obeserve for signs and symptoms of increased ICP; watch for nuclear rigidity. Control restlessness and pain. Narcotics are contraindicated following head injury,