Biomedical subjects

S S Paulson

Publications and source records attributed to S S Paulson.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1994

Protocol for weaning the SCI patient.

Ventilator weaning may be defined as the discontinuation of mechanical ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure, based upon predetermined objective criteria and accompanied by appropriate physiological and psychological monitoring (Luce, Tyler & Pierson, 1984). This paper presents a protocol for weaning the person with an acute spinal cord injury (SCI) from the ventilator. Patients are divided into uncomplicated and complicated categories. Specific guidelines identify the physiological parameters used as our criteria for weaning the person with SCI. Specific recommendations for weaning are based on 15 years of experience at a regional SCI Center which admits over 100 persons with SCI per year. Over the past 20 months alone, we have had a 94% success rate in utilizing this protocol for the ventilation weaning of uncomplicated and complicated individuals with SCI. We believe it provides consistent guidelines for the practitioner in successfully weaning the person with SCI from the ventilator.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Scabies outbreak on a spinal cord injury unit.

This article describes an outbreak of scabies on a 30-bed acute spinal cord injury unit and the measures taken to eradicate the infestation. Because spinal cord injury patients have sensorimotor deficits, the sensation of itching often is absent, making an infestation of scabies more difficult to identify. A total of 30 patients and 38 employees were exposed and treated for scabies. Educational programs about scabies were instituted immediately for all employees. Routine daily activities and therapy schedules were severely hampered by the outbreak. Despite the efforts of staff to solve the problems associated with the outbreak, frustration and anger were sometimes displayed by many of the staff, patients, and families because of the difficulties they encountered. The outbreak was halted, however, and no further cases were reported, although several employees had to be treated twice.

Cross Infection↗