A patient has a large intracranial hemorrhage and loss of brainstem reflexes.

Brain death protocolsrequire ruling outconfounding conditionssuch ashypothermia,drug intoxication, andmetabolic abnormalities.Normothermia (≥36°C)must be confirmed before neurologic testing for brain death is considered valid.

“Before brain death testing, normothermia must be achieved to ensure accurate assessment of brainstem function. Hypothermia may suppress neurologic responses.”

(Referenced from CCRN Pediatric – Direct Care: Neurological, Brain Death Criteria)