Spinal Cord Injury Desk Reference

Description

This text provides a quick, easy-to-understand, comprehensive, evidence-based reference for health care practitioners who formulate life care plans for persons with SCI. Features that will facilitate use by practitioners includes a variety of reference materials for health care professionals who provide life care planning/case management for SCI. Life care planning/case management practitioners would best be served by utilizing this text as a source of information and a guide from which to incorporate their professional knowledge, judgment, and ethical responsibilities when working with individuals with SCI to meet the challenge of addressing their unique long-term care needs. It is our hope this text will provide readers with tools and insights for competently addressing the long-term consequences of SCI.
This text arose out of a perceived need to have a single reference that would both contain information and serve as a reminder of areas central to the life care planning process for persons with SCI. It offers practitioners a single, easy-to-use resource that summarizes - in a clear, understandable way with easily accessible references - a body of studies and research on SCI that have important implications for life care planning and case management.

This text is an introduction to the basic aspects related to understanding SCI, including epidemiology, functional classification, and complications related to aging a with disability. In addition, it covers functional outcomes, potential associated costs, long-term management and care considerations, model LCP guidelines, and legislative, organizational, and agency resources.

This need for a continuum of care presents great challenges to health care professionals as well as to individuals with SCI and their families. Life care planning, which entered into the rehabilitation scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, has proven to be one way of meeting this challenge by providing an organized framework of services, recommendations, and requirements for long-term care management. By using a consistent methodology in assessing the individual needs of the person with SCI, the life care plan (LCP) helps the health care professionals as well as the person with SCI acquire a comprehensive understanding of the immediate and long-term care requirements necessary to maximize productivity and independence.

Although the text was written primarily for life care planning and case management practitioners, it can also be useful to other professionals who may be involved with the long-term care and management needs of people with SCI. Included in this group are primary care and speciality care physicians, nurses, rehabilitation counselors, therapists, insurers/HMOs, attorneys, governmental agencies, disability organizations, and educators, as well as people with SCI and their families.

Reviews

"Worthwhile reading for anyone working with individuals with SCI. I would also recommend this book to individuals with SCI, especially if professionals are unavailable to answer questions... The multidisciplinary team experience and the varying professional backgrounds of the authors make this book a useful addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in the clinical and psychosocial aspects of SCI." -- Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine
"This well-organized and comprehensive text is both an easy to comprehend textbook and a layman's introduction to the dynamics of spinal cord injury and the concept of life-care planning...this text is complete and thorough in describing spinal cord injury; explaining its effects on the individual, family, and society..." -- Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin

"If your practice includes life care planning for spinal cord injuries, you need this book." --National Association of Rehabilitation Professionals in the Private Sector

"The Spinal Cord Injury Desk Reference is the only text to date, which solely addresses the case management aspects of spinal cord injury (SCI) and life care planning. It addresses a multitude of issues related to spinal cord injury care as well as provides a plethora of valuable statistics and facts regarding the long-term needs, secondary complications, costs of SCI related treatments and basically a 'how to' set of guidelines for developing life care plans." --SCI Publications

"Broad in scope, this source gives practitioners the tools and insights for assessing, planning, and addressing long-term care and management needs. Written primarily for life care planning and case management practitioners, this source book is equally useful to primary and specialty care physicians, nurses, rehabilitation counselors, therapists, insurers/HMOs, attorneys, governmental agencies, disability organizations, and educators as well as people with SCI and their families." --Paraplegia News "

Contents

Life Care Planning and Spinal Cord Injury; Nature of Spinal Cord Injury; Neurologic Classification of Spinal Cord Injury; Functional Outcomes for Spinal Cord Injury; Management and Care of Spinal Cord Injury; Conclusion; Model for Life Care Planning with Spinal Cord Injury; Health; Education; Mobility; Housing; Transportation; Employment; Psychosocial Functioning; Recreation; Self Care;Resources and Legislation Related to Spinal Cord Injury; Identifying Resources; Model Spinal Cord Injury Program; Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers; Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers; Rural Health Research Centers; Department of Veterans Affairs; Spinal Cord Injury Associations/Organizations; Major Funding Sources; Disability Rights Legislation; Implications for Life Care Planning/Case Management; Sample Life Care Plan for Spinal Cord Injury; Life Care PlanReport; Referral and Background Infomation; Education and Training; Military Service; Vocational History; Pre-Injury Medical History; Post-Injury Medical History Summary; Post-Injury Complications; Records Reviewed; Functional Abilities; Activities of Daily Living; Current Management and Care; Current Financial Status; Conclusions; Life Care Plan; Forms; Life Care Plan Interview & History Questionnaire; Questions for Primary Care Physician/Physiatrist; Questions for Nurse; Questions for Occupational Therapist; Questions for Physical Therapist; Questions for Psychologist/Neuropsychologist; Supplemental Questions for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury; Appendices; Demographic Characteristics of Spinal Cord Injury; Costs Associated with Spinal Cord Injury; FIM? Instrument; Functional Rehabilitation Outcomes of Spinal Cord Injury; Aging with Spinal Cord Injury; Sexuality and Spinal Cord Injury; Mortality and Spinal Cord Injury; Leading Complications and Concerns for Spinal Cord Injury; Costs Associated with Complications Secondary to Spinal Cord Injury; Health Issues for Women with Spinal Cord Injury; Employment after Spinal Cord Injury; Common Mobility Equipment Needs for Spinal Cord Injury; Personal Assistance Guidelines for Spinal Cord Injury; Wheelchair Sports and Recreation Associations; Guidelines for Follow-up Care of Spinal Cord Injury; Ethical Issues for Life Care Planning; b>References; Glossary; Index

About the Authors

Terry Blackwell, EdD

Terry L. Blackwell, EdD - Dr. Blackwell is Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. Prior to his appointment there, Dr. Blackwell was in private practice in Montana and worked throughout the United States specializing in catastrophic rehabilitation and life care planning, consultation, and trainging. Dr. Blackwell sits on the editorial boards of several rehabilitation journals and has authored or co-authored a number of general books and articles in the areas of job analysis, forensic rehabilitation, ethics, and life care planning.

James Krause, PhD

Dr. Krause is a Behavioral Scientist at the Shepherd Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Krause has been involved in research in long-term outcomes after spinal cord injury for more than a decade. He has published multiple articles on aging, employment, quality of life, secondary conditions, and mortality after SCI. Prior to committing all his time to research, Dr. Krause spent four years working as a staff psychologist in a large SCI rehabilitation hospital. His clincal focus included adjustment counseling, alcohol and drug treatment, and prevention of secondary conditions. Dr. Krause uses his research and clinical background to assist in the development of life care plans and to provide expert testimony in SCI cases by predicting long-term complications, prospects for return to gainful employment, and life expectancy.

Terry Winkler

Dr. Winkler is a Board Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Physician in private practice in Springfield, Missouri. In his practice, Dr. Winkler specializes in traumatic and acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputations, and life care planning. He holds academic appointments as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and Clinical Professor at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition, Dr. Winkler serves on committees that review grants on spinal cord injury research for the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. He has several publications in the area of life care planning.

Steven Stiens, MD

Dr. Stiens is Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, and Attending Spinal Cord Medicine Physician at VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Harborview Medical Center and University Hospital. Dr. Stiens providesperson-centered SCI rehabilitation and primary care as well as training and education for medical students, residents, and SCI fellows. He has published numerous scientific articles and chapters on a wide range of SCI-related topics including neurogenic bowel, psychosocial adaptation, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and mechanisms of neurologic recovery. In addition, Dr. Stiens has developed a variety of training films and educational materials on SCI.