Faculty and staff from Blythedale Children’s Hospital, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, and the New York Regional Chapter of the Society of Pediatric Nurses (NYRC/SPN) came together on Tuesday, February 23 in Valhalla, New York to hold a comprehensive brain injury symposium.
The conference included a review of case studies as well as a ‘review of the incidence of brain injury, pathophysiology of injury to the brain, acute treatment and interventions, and the critical aspects of team rehabilitation,’ according to a PR Log press release prior to the event. The symposium attendees also gained important insights into the nuances of caring for children with brain injuries.
Prior to the event, the Director of Education at Blythedale Children’s Hospital said, ‘More than 1.5 million brain injuries occur annually in the United States. Our goal for this conference is to provide education about the broad spectrum of brain injuries, as well as information about equipment that can be used in the rehabilitation process,’ according to the press release. The conference was open to the public.
The symposium included guests from the general public, SPN members, hospital employees, and nursing students. Highlights of the symposium included: a talk on ‘Brain Plasticity and Healing’ by Joelle Mast PhD, panel discussions on various case studies, a talk on brain injury specific ‘Intensive Nursing Care,’ and a tour of the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. The keynote speaker, Carey Goltzman, M.D., presented a speech on ‘The Pathophysiology of Brain Injury.’
An information pamphlet on the purpose of the symposium said, ‘Brain Injury can present as a localized lesion such as an arterio-venous malformation, brain tumor, trauma and/or a diffuse insult such as meningitis or encephalitis. Recovery from different types of insults to the brain may proceed differently. The timing of rehabilitation is extremely important.’ Further, the conference pamphlet promised to deliver, ‘critical information necessary to provide care for a child with brain injury.’
References:
Blythedale Children’s Hospital. (February 21, 2010) ‘Significant Brain Insult Symposium.’ Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Blythedale Children’s Hospital Web site:http://www.blythedale.org/pdf/brain-symposium.pdf
PR Log staff. (February 19, 2010) ‘Blythedale Children’s Hospital to Sponsor Brain Injury Symposium on Feb. 23rd.’ Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the PR Log Web site:http://www.prlog.org/10540222-blythedale-childrens-hospital-to-sponsor-b…