title: Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity in Children: An Exploratory Evaluation of Nursing Interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) produces symptoms of autonomic instability and muscle over-activity; however, the majority of nursing interventions used in clinical practice are anecdotal and not evidenced based.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective was to report nursing documentation of PSH events, and to describe the clinical nursing interventions and care provided to children who have suffered a severe brain injury and are exhibiting PSH. The secondary objective was to demonstrate how the Symptom Management Theory (SMT) can serve as a framework for research related to brain injury and PSH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study consisted of a retrospective chart review of nursing progress notes using direct content analysis. The nested sample of ten randomly selected charts was chosen from a larger quantitative study of 83 children who had suffered severe brain injuries with and without PSH. Textual analysis of verbatim nursing progress notes was used to describe nursing interventions that were used and documented for this patient population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The priority nursing interventions to manage these symptoms included medication administration, facilitation of family presence, and strategies to target auditory, tactile, and visual stimuli. The sample received different individual interventions for PSH. Additionally, individual subjects demonstrated different patterns of interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While tactile interventions were documented most frequently, there was not a uniform approach to interventions. The SMT can be useful to provide a framework that organizes and tests clinical care and management of PSH strategies.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA; University of Virginia Children's Hospital, Charlottesville, VA, USA. Electronic address: lmc8c@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Letzkus
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keim-Malpass
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Nursing, Knoxville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: Brain Injury; Nursing Interventions; Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity; Symptom Management