The connection between neurosciences and dialysis: a quick neurological assessment for hemodialysis nurses.

Stroke is a significant medical emergency and occurs frequently in patients receiving renal replacement therapy. In 2005, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) published Nursing Best Practice Guidelines for Stroke, highlighting the necessity and expectation that all nurses, regardless of specialty, are able to perform an abbreviated neurological assessment, identify the symptoms of stroke, and respond to these as a medical emergency. This article highlights the significance of neurovascular disease in persons who receive renal replacement therapy, and serves as an educational review for dialysis nurses to increase their neurological functional assessment skills. The outlined abbreviated neurological assessment parallels the Canadian Neurological Scale, and is based on the practice recommendations published in the RNAO Nursing Best Practice Guidelines in 2005.