DaiWai Olson and Mary Kay Bader will present practical, evidence- and case-based guidance on objective pupillary assessment in critical care
IRVINE, Calif., May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Two nationally recognized leaders in neurocritical care nursing will join NeurOptics at the upcoming American Association of Critical Care Nurses National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition to discuss the role of NPi® pupillometry in critical care practice.
DaiWai M. Olson, PhD, RN, CCRN, FNCS, and Mary Kay Bader, MSN, RN, CCNS, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN, FAHA, FNCS, FCCM, will speak as part of NeurOptics' in-booth clinical education programming at AACN NTI 2026, May 17–20, in San Diego. NeurOptics will be exhibiting in Booth #1616.
Olson will present "Evidence-Based Practice in Pupillometry" on Tuesday, May 19, at 11:15 a.m. Bader will present "Clinical Case Studies in NPi Pupillometry" on Wednesday, May 20, at 10:30 a.m. Each presentation will last 30 minutes, followed by audience Q&A.
The participation of Olson and Bader underscores the growing clinical evidence base and guideline recognition for pupillometry and NPi as tools to support neurologic assessment of critically ill patients. As more hospitals standardize neurologic monitoring protocols, pupillometry is increasingly being recognized as a way to eliminate subjectivity, improve documentation, and help clinicians identify meaningful changes in pupillary response over time. Recent guidelines from the American College of Surgeons, the American Heart Association, and the Neurocritical Care Society have each acknowledged the utility of NPi pupillometry in patient care.1–3
The educational sessions come as more critical care teams are evaluating how objective pupillary assessment can support neurologic monitoring and bedside decision-making for patients at risk of neurologic deterioration. NeurOptics NPi Pupillometers provide automated measurement of pupil size and reactivity, including the Neurological Pupil index™ (NPi), a proprietary scale that helps clinicians trend pupillary response over time.
For generations, nurses and physicians have assessed pupils manually as part of the neurologic exam. But manual pupil checks are subjective and difficult to reproduce consistently, especially in high-acuity environments where small changes may matter. NPi pupillometry is designed to bring greater objectivity and consistency to this core bedside assessment and is now recognized in global clinical practice guidelines for trauma, critical care medicine, and with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) intervention.
"Pupillary assessment is one of the key neurologic checks we can perform quickly and repeatedly at the bedside, but the traditional penlight exam has important limitations," says Olson. "NPi pupillometry gives clinicians an objective number they can trend, communicate, and use as part of a more consistent neurologic assessment."
Olson is a widely published nurse scientist and neurocritical care expert whose work has helped advance understanding of quantitative pupillometry among critically ill patients. His research and educational efforts have emphasized the importance of objective, reproducible neurologic assessment and the integration of pupillometry into critical care practice.
Bader, a neuroscience and critical care clinical nurse specialist and winner of an AACN 2026 Pioneering Spirit Award, has extensive experience developing protocols and integrating technology into the care of critically ill neurologic patients. She has lectured nationally and internationally on traumatic brain injury, stroke, increased intracranial pressure, hypothermia, neurointerventional therapy, and pupillometry.
"In critical care, change over time is often what matters most," says Bader. "When nurses can see pupillary trends clearly and document them consistently, that information can strengthen communication with the care team and support earlier recognition of potential neurologic change."
At the NeurOptics booth, Olson and Bader will focus on the practical application of NPi pupillometry, including how clinicians can interpret pupillary trends, incorporate the technology into neuro-assessment workflows, and use case-based learning to understand its value in critical care settings.
The in-booth education sessions are designed for critical care nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, nurse educators, nurse leaders, and interdisciplinary clinicians who care for patients requiring frequent neurologic assessment.
The AACN NTI is the nation's largest educational conference and exposition for acute, progressive, and critical care nurses. The annual meeting brings together clinicians, educators, and industry partners focused on evidence-based practice, clinical innovation, and professional development in high-acuity care.
NeurOptics' participation reflects the company's continued focus on education and clinical adoption of automated pupillometry across critical care, neurocritical care, emergency care, and other acute care environments.
Conference attendees may visit NeurOptics at Booth #1616 to attend the booth education sessions, meet clinical experts, and learn more about NPi pupillometry.
About NeurOptics
NeurOptics is a medical technology company focused on advancing pupillary evaluation through automated pupillometry. The company's NPi Pupillometers provide accurate, reliable and objective pupil size and reactivity measurements to support neurologic assessment in acute care and research settings. For more information, visit NeurOptics.com.
References
Contact:
Liz Dowling
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SOURCE NeurOptics
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