Journal article
Continuous or emergent EEG: can bedside caregivers recognize epileptiform discharges?
Intensive care medicine, Vol.30(2), pp.207-212
02/2004
DOI: 10.1007/s00134-003-2046-y
PMID: 14615839
Abstract
When emergent or continuous EEG monitoring is carried out to detect subclinical seizures, expert interpretation of the results is usually not immediately available. We assessed the ability to recognize epileptiform discharges among various nonexpert bedside caregivers. A second objective was to determine whether such skill improves with a simple educational intervention.A prospective cohort study with an educational intervention in a university-based tertiary medical center.All 125 neurology and neurosurgery residents, intensive care fellows, critical care and neurological floor nurses, and EEG technicians were offered participation. Of these, 50 completed the study and provided 2,398 EEG responses.A computer-based PowerPoint lecture designed to teach recognition of epileptiform discharges.(a) Average number of correct responses in identifying epileptiform discharges in a computer-based pre-test consisting of 24 EEG questions. (b) Impact of the educational intervention as measured by change in the mean average score in a similar post-test. The rate of correct responses by group ranged from 46% for medical critical care nurses to 94% for EEG technicians. Overall mean correct response rate was 14.72 (61%) for the pre-test, and increased to 16.06 (67%) in for post-test (p=0.002).Recognition of epileptifom discharges by bedside caregivers is disturbingly low. A simple educational intervention only modestly improved such ability. Therefore we should not rely on nontrained personnel to interpret emergent or continuous recordings. EEG technicians are an exception, and their skill could be utilized during emergent studies.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Continuous or emergent EEG: can bedside caregivers recognize epileptiform discharges?
- Creators
- Enrique Leira - 0000 0004 1936 9342 grid.262962.b Souers Stroke Institute, Department of Neurology Saint Louis University 3635 Vista Ave at Grand Blvd St. Louis MO 63110 USAMary Bertrand - 0000 0004 1936 9342 grid.262962.b Greater Midwest Epilepsy Treatment Center, Department of Neurology Saint Louis University 3635 Vista Ave at Grand Blvd St. Louis MO 63110 USAR Hogan - 0000 0004 1936 9342 grid.262962.b Greater Midwest Epilepsy Treatment Center, Department of Neurology Saint Louis University 3635 Vista Ave at Grand Blvd St. Louis MO 63110 USASalvador Cruz-Flores - 0000 0004 1936 9342 grid.262962.b Souers Stroke Institute, Department of Neurology Saint Louis University 3635 Vista Ave at Grand Blvd St. Louis MO 63110 USAKathleen Wyrwich - 0000 0004 1936 9342 grid.262962.b Department of Research Methodology and School of Public Health Saint Louis University 3545 Lafayette Ave St. Louis MO 63104 USAOsamah Albaker - 0000 0004 0637 234X grid.414506.2 Ibn-Sina Hospital Safat KuwaitEve Holzemer - 0000 0004 1936 9342 grid.262962.b Souers Stroke Institute, Department of Neurology Saint Louis University 3635 Vista Ave at Grand Blvd St. Louis MO 63110 USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Intensive care medicine, Vol.30(2), pp.207-212
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00134-003-2046-y
- PMID
- 14615839
- NLM abbreviation
- Intensive Care Med
- ISSN
- 0342-4642
- eISSN
- 1432-1238
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Berlin/Heidelberg
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2004
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Epidemiology; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurosurgery
- Record Identifier
- 9984020993802771
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