The Practice Section of the webpage will have two primary responsibilities. First, this will be the section that provides definitions regarding the specialty of Neurocritical Care. Second, this site will strive to provide up-to-date, evidence-based references and guidelines regarding the best clinical care practices for critically ill neurological patients. The focus of this section will be multi-disciplinary, as Neurocritical Care covers a broad number of patient conditions and needs.

 

The first responsibility for this section will be to define our specialty in terms that professional colleagues and the general layperson can understand. The uniqueness of our specialty will be explained by answering the following questions: What is Neurocritical Care? How are we different from other critical care specialties? What conditions and procedures are unique to this practice area? What complications and associated conditions are common in critically ill neurological patients? What are the qualifications to become a neurointensivist?

 

The second responsibility for this section will be to provide a “go-to” source for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and family members to gain information and education regarding neurocritical care. Initially the section will provide links to published guidelines available for the management of both general medical issues and neurological conditions that affect patients in a neuroscience intensive care unit. Ultimately, neurocritical care specific guidelines will be available in this section as the Neurocritical Care Society develops them.

 

Evidence based information and multidisciplinary collaboration will be the foundation for the NCS Webpage “Practice Section”. This section will have to expand as our specialty grows. The NCS Guidelines Steering Committee will use this site to keep you updated on the progress of Neurocritical Care specific guideline development. It is the hope that this section will become a key reference source for the specialty of Neurocritical Care.