TBI
What are the three classifications of TBI severity?
Mild, moderate, and severe
Which cranial nerves are commonly associated with eye movement problems after TBI?
Cranial nerves III, IV, and VI
What is the primary OT focus in the ICU following severe TBI?
Positioning, splinting, ROM, early mobilization, tone management, and prevention of secondary complications
What does the Glasgow Coma Scale measure?
Level of consciousness after brain injury
What intervention strategy is used to prevent patients from making mistakes during learning tasks after TBI?
Errorless learning
What is the leading cause of TBI in adults?
Falls
What behavioral changes are commonly seen after TBI?
Impulsivity, irritability, apathy, poor initiation, or exaggerated premorbid traits.
What is a major OT focus during acute care after TBI?
Early functional engagement, safety awareness, cognitive screening, and mobility for function
What GCS score range indicates a severe TBI?
3–8
What intervention can help improve attention after TBI?
Combining motor and cognitive tasks during ADLs or IADLs
Which mechanism of injury involves the brain moving back and forth inside the skull?
Coup-contrecoup injury
What are secondary complications OT tries to prevent during early TBI recovery?
Contractures, pressure injuries, abnormal tone, prolonged immobilization, or decreased arousal
What type of therapy intensity is commonly seen in inpatient rehabilitation?
Intensive therapy across disciplines, typically about 2-3 hours per day.
What assessment is commonly used to measure agitation and behavioral dysregulation after TBI?
Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS)
What intervention approach uses day planners, memory books, and checklists?
Externalized memory strategy training
What type of injury is caused by acceleration, deceleration, and rotation of the brain inside the skull?
Diffuse injury
Why is side-lying positioning often preferred over supine positioning in severe TBI?
It promotes better body alignment and helps reduce abnormal posture and tone.
What are the common goals of post-acute or outpatient rehabilitation after TBI?
Community integration, return to work or school, higher-level cognition, IADLs, and behavioral adaptation
Which assessment helps evaluate executive functioning during real-world tasks?
Multiple Errands Test (MET)
What intervention technique teaches the LAST step of a task first?
Backward chaining
Name three impairments commonly associated with diffuse TBI injuries.
Difficulty with divided attention, impulsivity, reduced processing speed, impaired problem solving, irritability, apathy, ataxia, diplopia, or dysarthria
Why is sensory stimulation used with patients who have severe disorders of consciousness?
To promote arousal, improve interaction with the environment, and support neuroplasticity and recovery processes
Why are long-term rehabilitation services important for TBI survivors?
Because cognitive, behavioral, and emotional deficits may continue to affect quality of life even after motor recovery improves
Why might the Kettle Test be useful for clients with TBI?
It evaluates functional cognition during a multistep task and identifies deficits missed during paper-pencil testing
A client with TBI becomes overwhelmed by noise and distractions during tasks. What intervention strategy could improve performance?
Environmental modification such as reducing distractions, dimming lights, and completing tasks in a quiet room