Overview
Welcome to the Division of Vascular and Critical Care...
VCU Health's Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSICU) is state-of-the-art and the largest in the state of Virginia, equipped with 20 beds dedicated to providing outstanding neurocritical care service for a variety of challenging conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Every patient in the Neuroscience ICU is managed by a highly trained, specialized, multidisciplinary team that provides a collaborative effort between neurointensivists, neurosurgeons, neurologists, radiologists, pharmacists, critical care nurses, respiratory therapists, nutritionist, rehabilitation therapists and social workers who all work together to achieve coordinated care for the critically ill patient.
Patients in the NSICU are co-managed by board certified NSICU attending-physicians and the attending physicians and residents of the admitting service- the Department of Neurology and the Department of Neurosurgery.
The NSICU boasts 4 attending physician neurointensivists (Departments of Neurology, Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine), who provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with an additional as needed resource intensivist who is in-house every night. Neurosurgeons and Neurologists are available to admit patients at any time. Resident physicians from the Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Anesthesiology work round the clock to foster an environment of safety and recovery
The NSICU is an essential component of VCU Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Clinical Care
Conditions treated by our specialists include the following:
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding strokes)
- Ischemic strokes (strokes from clots)
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Brain Tumors
- Difficult to treat seizures / Status Epilepticus
- Infections of the central nervous system (Meningitis / Encephalitis)
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Post-Operative Neurosurgical patients
- Any critical care needs for neurology and neurosurgery patients.
Faculty & Staff
Faculty and staff within the Division of Neurocritical Care...
![Aarti Sarwal, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Sarwal_5679.jpg)
Aarti Sarwal, M.D.
Neurocritical Care Chief
![Aarti Sarwal, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Sarwal_5679.jpg)
Aarti Sarwal, M.D.
Neurocritical Care Chief
Department of Neurology
Phone: (804) 828-7929
Email: Aarti.Sarwall@vcuhealth.org
![Fazila Aseem, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/EmptyPhoto-Placeholder.jpg)
Fazila Aseem, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor Neurointensivist
![Fazila Aseem, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/EmptyPhoto-Placeholder.jpg)
Fazila Aseem, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor Neurointensivist
Department of Neurology
Phone: (804) 828-7929
Email: Fazila.Aseem@vcuhealth.org
![Stephanie Harrison, DNP, FNP, AGACNP, APP](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Harrison_5353.jpg)
Stephanie Harrison, DNP, FNP, AGACNP, APP
![Stephanie Harrison, DNP, FNP, AGACNP, APP](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Harrison_5353.jpg)
Stephanie Harrison, DNP, FNP, AGACNP, APP
Neurology
Neurocritical Care APP
Phone: (804) 828-9350
![Jessica M. Johns, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/JessicaJohnsVCUPhoto.jpg)
Jessica M. Johns, M.D.
Assistant Professor Neurointensivist
![Jessica M. Johns, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/JessicaJohnsVCUPhoto.jpg)
Jessica M. Johns, M.D.
Assistant Professor Neurointensivist
Department of Neurology
Division of Vascular and Critical Care Neurology
Email: Jessica.Johns@vcuhealth.org
![Shraddha Mainali, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Mainali_pic(2).jpg)
Shraddha Mainali, M.D.
Associate Professor Neurointensivist
![Shraddha Mainali, M.D.](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Mainali_pic(2).jpg)
Shraddha Mainali, M.D.
Associate Professor Neurointensivist
Department of Neurology
Division of Vascular and Critical Care Neurology
![Emily Willard, AGACNP, APP](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Willard_5403.jpg)
Emily Willard, AGACNP, APP
![Emily Willard, AGACNP, APP](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Willard_5403.jpg)
Emily Willard, AGACNP, APP
Neurology
Neurocritical Care APP
Phone: (804) 828-9350
Email: Emily.Willard@vcuhealth.org
![Meagan Wright, AGACNP, APP](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Wright_5400.jpg)
Meagan Wright, AGACNP, APP
![Meagan Wright, AGACNP, APP](/media/department-of-neurology-2019/faculty-and-staff/Wright_5400.jpg)
Meagan Wright, AGACNP, APP
Neurology
Neurocritical Care APP
Phone: (804) 828-9350
Email: Meagan.Wright@vcuhealth.org