Ateneo - UPO

Time-dependent neurological emergencies, with a specific focus on acute cerebral stroke and status epilepticus.

ESO (European Stroke Organisation) Guidelines – Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke.
Aniarti, Nursing in Critical Care, Maggioli Editore.
Chiaranda, Urgencies and Emergencies, McGraw-Hill.
Teaching materials and recent scientific articles provided by the instructor.

The course aims to provide students with advanced skills for the early recognition and care management of time-dependent neurological emergencies. The objective is to optimize clinical pathways (Stroke Unit and pre-hospital networks) by reducing intervention times ("Time is Brain") and applying international protocols to improve patient prognosis.

Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system.

Interactive lectures integrated with the analysis of clinical cases, radiological images, and EEG recordings.
Discussion of real-world scenarios involving time-sensitive neurological care pathways.
Low- to medium-fidelity simulations focused on the management of emergency protocols.

Asynchronous distance learning will be mainly based on clinical cases with specific diagnostic and care-related objectives.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The assessment of learning outcomes is conducted in an integrated manner through a single evaluation test, which covers:
1. Advanced nursing care planning in the critically ill patient
2. Guidelines and procedures in the management of the critically ill patient
3. Clinical nutrition in the critically ill patient
4. Time-dependent pathologies in Cardiology
5. Interventional Radiology in Emergency and Urgency
6. Gastroenterological emergencies and urgencies
7. Time-dependent pathologies in Neurology
The assessment consists of a written exam featuring educational/organizational case studies developed by the course instructors. Each case is associated with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), featuring 4 response options, only one of which is correct.
The questions are designed to evaluate acquired knowledge, applied understanding, and autonomy of judgment.
The number of questions for each module is proportional to the number of ECTS (CFU) credits assigned, based on the criterion of 4 questions per credit, up to a maximum of 12 questions per module. Consequently, the total number of questions varies according to the number of modules within the integrated course. Specifically, for the Integrated Course in Models and Methodologies for Educational Design, Teaching, Clinical Leadership, and Consultancy, the total number of questions will be 32.
Each question is awarded 1 point. The final result is re-scaled to a range of 0 to 32, where:
18 points represents the minimum passing grade (equivalent to 18/30).
31 or 32 points represents the maximum grade (30/30 cum laude).
The exam will be duration of 48 minutes.

The Stroke Network: Organization of the "Stroke Call" system; the nurse's role in pre-hospital and in-hospital triage; "door-to-needle" and "door-to-groin" quality indicators.
Acute Cerebral Stroke: Pathophysiology of ischemia and the ischemic penumbra; clinical framework and diagnostic imaging (CT, CT Angiography, MRI); nursing care during systemic fibrinolysis and endovascular treatment.
Hemorrhagic Emergencies: Management of intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH); intracranial pressure monitoring and prevention of vasospasm.
Status Epilepticus: Clinical framework, emergency pharmacological management, and video-EEG monitoring.
Pharmacology and Monitoring: Use of fibrinolytics, antiepileptic drugs, and blood pressure management in acute phases; advanced multi-parameter monitoring in the critically ill neurological patient.

At the end of the course, students will:
Knowledge and understanding: Demonstrate knowledge of the pathophysiological frameworks of the main neurological emergencies (ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, status epilepticus) and understand the organization of the Stroke Network.
Applying knowledge and understanding: Be able to administer validated neurological assessment scales (e.g., NIHSS, Glasgow Coma Scale) and correctly activate "Fast Track" pathways for thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy.
Making judgements: Be capable of establishing care priorities, critically evaluating the risks and benefits of reperfusion therapies, and managing post-procedural monitoring.
Communication skills: Develop skills in technical communication during handovers between the different nodes of the network (118/EMS, Emergency Department, Neuroradiology, Stroke Unit).
Learning skills: Be able to constantly update their practices by analyzing international guidelines (ESO-WSO) and the most recent clinical research results.