![]() | Clare Elwell |
-
01.03.2023-29.03.2023
Responsible Neuroimaging to Inform End of Life Decision Making
Objective: to ensure responsible use of neuroimaging to inform end of life decision making for patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness.
Expected outcome: scientific publication and other materials to enable open discussion of opportunities and challenges of using novel neuro technologies to assess brain function in patients with disorders of consciousness.
Specific goals:
My primary goal is to write an article for publication in the Journal of Neurosurgical Anthesthesiology, the leading journal for perioperative neuroscience and brain health in an intensive care setting. I have already had discussions with the Editor-in-Chief Professor Martin Smith who is enthusiastic in providing a platform for discussions around the role of neuroimaging in the management of patients with disorders of consciousness within a neurocritical care setting.
I also wish to use this article to develop resources which can be used for a wider range of audiences, including training materials for healthcare professionals and lay summaries for relatives. I am keen to continue my collaboration with Professor Jenny Kitzinger Co-Director of the Coma and Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre at Cardiff University. Prof. Kitzinger has developed a range of resources for families and healthcare practitioners (https://cdoc.org.uk/publications/resources-for-families-and-practitioners/) including specific training materials (https://cdoc.org.uk/ahp-training-resources/).
I’m also interested in exploring the representation of coma within the media and the role of innovative technology in investigating brain function. Too often the complexity, trauma and uncertainty associated with brain injury is airbrushed away. This, coupled with the “silver bullet” expectations of new brain scanning tools can create a perfect storm of unrealistic representation and expectation. In 2018 I was awarded a British Science Association Media Fellowship to work at Financial Times London and I will use the contacts I have made there to explore opportunities for opinion pieces and feature articles around this topic.