title: Development and implementation of a problem-focused neurological assessment system.
abstract: A menu-driven, problem-focused neurological assessment system was constructed and implemented after concerns at a six-hospital teaching center about the quality of nursing assessments for patients with neurological diagnoses were validated. This system enables the physician to guide the nurse's assessment by ordering specific neurological tests for each patient. Extensive staff training took place to develop competence with this system. This new system has resulted in positive changes for this facility. Nurses acknowledge greater comfort with performing neurological assessment; documentation of assessment has improved; and the assessments are becoming more individualized for each patient. This system resulted in a higher quality of neurological care for patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA. clehman@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Cheryl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LaCroix
authors.forename: Steven V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Haring J W
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Nauta
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011340:Problem Solving; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000379:methods*