NCCEd: Neurocritical Care Education for Residents

Objective: Indicate whether a patient’s airway protection capacities are impaired

Objective: List common signs suggestive of such impaired airway protection

Rationale: Neurologically ill patients frequently lose their ability to protect their airway as a result of their underlying pathology. Recognition of this is crucial to ensure care is escalated appropriately early before complications develop or accrue.

Objective: Interpret clinical and radiographic data to support or refute a diagnosis of neuromuscular respiratory failure

Rationale: Respiratory failure is a common indication for ICU admission in patients with and without neurologic disease. Neurologists may be consulted upon to determine whether this is due to an underlying neurologic disease that is known, or one that is to be newly diagnosed. Accurate determination influences the diagnostic and therapeutic options.