Introduction: An ischemic stroke is a very common emergency state in neurology which requires immediate intervention. Acute care begins in an emergency neurological outpatient clinic and continues in the stroke unit, where the nurse is constantly with the patient. The nurse’s responsibility is to monitor and observe the patient with the intention of early recognition of the worsening of neurological state. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma is to present the medical treatment of a patient with an ischemic stroke in the medulla oblongata, and to highlight the role of the nurse in dealing with specific complications. The aims of the study: to present the supervision of a patient with an ischemic stroke in the medulla oblongata, to describe the diet of a patient with dysphagia, and to present the nurse’s role in the implementation of respiratory support. Method: A descriptive method of work was used with reference to scientific literature. The search for professional and scientific literature, from 2009 to 2019, was carried out using the digital library of the University of Ljubljana in the CINAHL and Medline databases. Slovenian literature was explored using the COBISS.SI mutual catalog database. Literature was researched in the period from May to June 2019. The keywords and phrases were used in Slovenian and English. Results: The nurse provides continuous monitoring of the patient’s vital functions and observes the dynamics of the neurological state. The nurse plays an important role in the detection and management of dysphagia, as it commonly occurs in ischemic stroke. In a patient with a stroke in the extended spinal cord respiratory difficulties can develop with a range of severity including also total respiratory failure. The nurse must be able to quickly recognise such an urgent state, to know the instruments, and to use the instruments for respiratory support and endotracheal intubation. Discussion and conclusion: Nursing of the patient is very demanding and requires a great deal of knowledge and responsibility from the nurse. The nurse is independent in monitoring vital signs and neurological state, and is thus the first to notice significant changes. For the patient, early recognition is crucial. Despite very serious illness, the course of treatment is usually successful for the patient, if the complications are identified and treated in time.
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