THE EPILEPSY

MONITORING UNITMontreal Neurological Hospital

Attention

• Pleaseleavetheareaaroundthebedclearatalltimes.• Askstaffbeforemovinganyfurniture.

Bedside table

Pleaseleavethisspacefreeofpersonalitems.EEGtechniciansandnursesmayneedthisspaceforcare.

Your locker

Thisiswhereyoushouldkeepyourpersonalitems.

Monitor

Themonitormustalwaysbeeasilyaccessiblebyhealthcareprofessionals.

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TheEpilepsyMonitoringUnit(EMU)attheMontreal

NeurologicalHospitalevaluateswhathappenswhen

youhaveaseizureorepilepticevent.

AttheEMU,wemonitoryou24hoursadaywhile

youarehospitalizedhere.WeusevideoandEEG

(electroencephalogram)torecordyourseizures.

The information we get helps us:

• Findoutwhereyourseizuresarecomingfrom.

• Findoutwhattypeofseizuresyouarehaving.

• Decideifyouneedmoretests.

• Findatreatmentplanforyou.

TheUnithas5bedsonthe3rdfloorinanareacalled

3North.Therearealwaystwonursesatour

nursingstation.

The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU)

Régie del’assurance maladie

NUMÉRO D’ASSURANC MALADIE

PRÉNOM ET NOM À LA NAISSANCE

NOM DE L’ÉPOUX ET OU NON SÉQUENTIEL

NAISSANCE (AA-MM-JJ) SEXE

EXPIRATION

1989

0604

Québec

Kleenex

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Please bring your:

Medicarecardandhospitalcard.

Medicationsthatyouaretaking.

Comfortableclothesandshoes.

Alock(Thereisalockerineachroomforyour

wallet,purse,phoneandothervaluableitems).

Personalcareitemslikesoap,shampoo,tooth-

brush,toothpaste,tissues,etc.

Books,magazines,games,iPad,laptopetc.

Pleasekeeptheareaaroundyourbedclear.

Thiswillhelptokeepyousafe.

What should I bring?

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EEG monitoring and Video

Youwillhavesensors(electrodes)withwires

attachedtoyourscalpwhileyouareintheunit.

TheseareEEG(electroencephalogram)sensors.

What will happen at the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit ?

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The camera over your bed

also records sound and

video 24 hours a day.

Thereceiverisconnected

tothecomputerinyour

room.Onceaweek,

weremovethesensorsand

wiresfromyourheadso

thatyoucanwashyourhair.

Theboxsendsbrain

waveinformationtoa

receiver.Theboxand

thereceiverareconnected

withacord.Thiscord

mustalwaysbeplugged

intothereceiverso

thatwedonotmiss

anyinformation.

AnEEGrecordselectrical

activityfromyourbrain.

Thesensorsare

connectedtoasmall

recordingboxthat

youcancarryover

yourshoulder.

How long will I stay in the Unit?

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NormallyapatientstaysintheEMU7to10days.

TheamountoftimeyouspendintheUnitdependson

thenumberandtypesofseizureswerecord.

Whileyouarehere,youmayhavefewerseizures

thanyouhaveathome.Wemayaskyoutotakeless

medicationthannormal.Or,wemayaskyouto

stayawakeatnightlaterthanyounormallywould.

Thisistotrytomakeseizureshappen.Wewillask

youtostayinyourroomandstayconnectedtothe

EEGrecordingequipmentasmuchaspossible,

particularlywhenyourmedicationisreduced.

Thismayshortentheamountoftimeyoustayin

thehospital.

Whileyouarehere,pleasecontinuetotakeyour

medicationsnormallyunlessthedoctortreatingyou

decidesdifferently.

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Safety

Pleasestayinyourroomasmuchaspossible.

Thisismoreimportantwhenyouaretakingless

medicationthannormal.Whentheamountofmedication

inyourbodyislow,youaremorelikelytohaveaseizure,

tofall,andtogethurt.

Atnight,thenursewillliftupthe3siderailsonyourbed.

Thisisforyourprotection.

Thecurtainsaroundtheendofyour

bedmuststayopenwhileyousleep.

Thenursesmustbeabletoseeyou

andmakesurethattherecording

equipmentisattachedandworking.

Theroomdoorneedstostayopen.

Wewouldlikeyoutostayinyourroomasmuchas

possible.Ifyouneedabreakfrombeinginyourroom

orwanttoleaveyourroom,tellastaffmemberwhere

youaregoing.

Pleasetakeonly15minute

breaks.Youmustalwaysuse

awheelchairwhenyouleave

theUnit.

If you choose to leave the Unit for a break,

you must accept the risk of having a seizure

or a fall while you are away from our staff.

min.15

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Privacy and respect

ThepatientsintheEMUaremenandwomen

ofallages.Mostroomsaresemi-private.

Weaskeveryonetorespecteachother’s

spaceandprivacy.

When I can leave the hospital?

Wewillusuallytellyouwhenyouwillbeable

toleavethehospital1-2daysaheadoftime.

Sometimes,youmayhavelessnotice.

Ifyouneedtimetoorganizeyourreturnhome,

pleasetelltheNurseClinicianfortheEpilepsy

Programassoonaspossibleduringyourstay.

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Epileptologist

Thisisthespecializedneurologist

whoisinchargeofyourcare.

Theepileptologistwillreview

yourEEGresultsdaily.Theywill

visityoueveryfewdaystodiscuss

yourprogressandansweryour

questions.Youmayhavemore

thanoneepileptologistlookafter

youduringyourstay.

Neurology Fellow or Resident

Thisisadoctorwhoiscontinuing

theireducationinneurology.

Theywillseeyoueveryday.

Nurses

Therewillalwaysbe1or2nursesin

theEpilepsyMonitoringUnit(EMU).

Theywillmakesurethatyouaresafe

duringaseizure.Theywillwatch

yourbehaviourduringseizures.

Your health care team

These are the people who will be

caring for you during your stay:

Days

Every day

2-3

10

Nurse Clinician for

the Epilepsy Program

Thisnursewillprovidecare

andinformationtoyouand

yourfamily.Theyaretheperson

tocontactifyouhaveany

problemsorquestionsafteryou

leavethehospital.

EEG technologist

TheEEGtechnologistis

thepersonwhowillconnect

andremovethesensors

(electrodes)andtestthe

recordingsystemeveryday.

Neuropsychologist

Thisspecializedpsychologist

examinesyourthinkingskillslike

attention,memoryandlanguage.

i

Your health care team These are the people who will be

caring for you during your stay:

i

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Social Worker

Thesocialworkerwillmeetwith

youtomakesurethatyouhavethe

resourcesandsupportyouneed.

Other team members you may meet:

Neuropsychiatrist

Thisdoctormayvisityouto

figureoutifpsychological

factorsarepartof

yourcondition.

Neurosurgeon

Thisdoctorwillvisityouif

surgeryisanoptiontotreat

yourepilepsy.

These are the people who will be

caring for you during your stay:

Questions :Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcerns,

pleasecontacttheNurseClinicianfor

theEpilepsyProgramat:514-398-5797

Hospital Policies

Visitors are welcome in the unit from 9am to 9pm.Familymemberscannotnormallystayovernight.Inspecialcases,wecanarrangeforafamilymembertostayovernight.ThisneedstobediscussedwiththemedicalteamandtheNurseClinicianfortheEpilepsyProgram.

Acknowledgements: Developed by Chun Ip Koo, Nurse Clinician for the Epilepsy Program.

Editor: Eileen Beany Peterson, Librarian

November2019

Adapted with permission from Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at the London Health Science Centre

Smoking: Nosmokingorvapingisallowed

anywhereonhospitalgrounds.

Thepolicyincludestobacco,cannabis

andherbalsmokingorvaping.

Ifyouneedtogooutforasmoke,

pleasediscussitwithyourmedical

teamandnurse.

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