Browse the corpus
Walk the Even Hospital Database by book and chapter — the raw source passages that ground Ask, DDx, and the rest.
1 passage
The caloric reflex test is most helpful and utilized most frequently in the intensive care setting, especially when the patient is comatose. The nursing staff must monitor vital signs more closely and more frequently. The intensivist must determine the etiology of the coma and assess the severity and prognosis. The pharmacist has to advise on and monitor medication use and side effects. Consultation with the neurology team is often necessary as a part of interprofessional management. The caloric reflex test is an invaluable tool for identifying any generalized or localized brainstem disorder and assessing prognosis. In addition, the monothermic ice-water cold caloric test is essential for brainstem reflex assessment in determining whether a patient has brain death. This evaluation is integral to the activities of the interprofessional organ transplant team.