Target Audience
> Medical Interns, Residents, and critical care (ICU/ED/Anaesthetic) trainees.
> Nurses working in critical care wards (e.g. ICU and ED)
> Pre-hospital healthcare providers who want more insight into investigations and management of disorders of consciousness in the hospital setting
> Medical, nursing and paramedic students rotating through critical care terms
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you should be able to:
- Define coma and understand why it is considered an important area of investigation and research currently
- Understand the basic definitions, epidemiology, anatomy and pathophysiology of unconsciousness
- Have an approach to the undifferentiated patient presenting with coma
- Know key resus priorities in coma
- Understand which investigations are appropriate and in what order
- Understand the ICU priorities in diagnosing, managing and treating coma
- Understand prognostication and outcomes in patients who are unconscious
Image of Coma pt ventilated in ICU, then in wheelchair doing something active, looking happy