Coma stimulation

Coma stimulation is a treatment in which a health care professional or a patient's family member systematically applies stimulation to one or more of the patient's five senses, for the purpose of increasing patient responsiveness. The rationale is that exposure to frequent and various sensory stimulation will facilitate both dendritic growth and improve synaptic connectivity in those with damaged nervous systems (Ansell, 1991; Kater, 1989). This review was conducted to determine whether research supports the incorporation of a coma stimulation program into routine nursing care. Included studies were of stimulation programs in inpatient settings, analyzing both multimodal and unimodal sensory stimulation. Implications for nursing practice are given, including specific prescriptives for implementing a coma stimulation program and areas for further research.