Head injuries are a frequent cause of death and disability in western society with the first 72 h being an important period for prevention of further brain damage.Around 1 million people in the UK suffer from some form of head injury every year,
and approximately 11,600 of these will be classed as a severe head injury.The complex nature of the patient with a head injury means that they are prone to complications such as hypoxia, hypotension, raised intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral vasospasm which is often called ‘secondary brain damage’ as it results after the initial injury. The aim of this paper is to review current research-based evidence on the care of the acutely head-injured adult patient including the underpinning physiology,monitering,nursing care aspects and drug regimes.