Page 17 - Christiana Care Focus June July 2018

electrical activity in the heart is recorded with electrocardiography (EKG), helping clinicians understand what is happening during a seizure.
“Our staff works with patients and families to reduce any fear by providing information on what to expect, emphasizing procedures that enhance patient safety and making the stay as pleasant as possible,” said Susan Craig, MSN, RN III-BC, epilepsy clinical nurse practice coordinator.
To further enhance safety, nurses assist patients whenever they are out of their bed. And patients wear mobility vests that connect to a stationary lift, a system that allows patients to move around a room and prevents them from falling if they have a seizure.
“This is one of the few EMUs in the U.S. that uses a patient lift to prevent falls,” Craig
Esaid.
pilepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, leading to seizures or periods of unusual
behavior, sensations or loss of awareness. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that there are 3.4 million Americans with epilepsy and there is a
| Neurosciences growing incidence of the disease among the
adult population in Delaware, especially among people 60 and older.
“Our community deserves the very best in neurological care,” said Valerie Dechant, M.D., physician leader, Neuroscience Service Line, and medical director, Neurocritical Care and Acute Neurologic Services. “Our new Epilepsy Monitoring Unit will enable us to serve the complex neurologic needs of our adult patients.” 
“
We want to help patients who believe they have been over-diagnosed or under-diagnosed so they can see improvement in their lives.”
John R. Pollard, M.D.
Faye Tyson, REEGT; Christy L. Poole, BSN, BSN, Neurosciences program manager; Tracey Cuthbertson; Ryane Griffin, BSN, RN; Mary Rose Hancock REEG/EPT, RPSGT, CCSH; Huijun Wang, M.D., Ph.D.; Carly Cline, AAS, REEGT; Susan Craig, MSN, RNIII-BC, epilepsy clinical practice coordinator; Chalita C. Atallah, M.D.; and Donna Mower-Wade, DNP, ACNS-BC, CNRN.
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