Identification and management of cognitive and perceptual deficits in the rehabilitation patient.

The rehabilitation nurse frequently encounters patients who display cognitive/perceptual impairments as a result of a head injury or cerebrovascular accident. Deficits in attention, perception, memory, sequencing, and initiation may prevent the patient from reaching goals set by nurses or other rehabilitation professionals. When nurses recognize cognitive or perceptual impairments and have techniques available that will compensate for such deficits, they can more readily help patients meet rehabilitation goals.