Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Deborah Lewis

Abstract

When a blood clot obstructs the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, it can cause an ischemic stroke. Hypertension is the most important risk factor for ischemic stroke because it causes damage to the arteries, making them easy to burst or clog and subsequently increases the risk of stroke. Advanced treatments have been developed to dissolve clots and restore blood flow to the brain. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been clinically beneficial in acute ischemic stroke if it is given early and under the right conditions. Nurses can improve patient care through application of evidenced-based management. The purpose of this project was to find out whether using an evidence-based staff education module to promote timely management of hypertension in acute stroke patients who receive tPA treatment would improve nonneurology trained staff nurse’s knowledge. The staff education module was developed using Rosswurm and Larrabee’s model of evidence-based practice. Benner’s novice to expert model was used to give a more objective way of evaluating the progress of teaching. The education was presented to 25 staff nurses, and a pretest and posttest were administered to determine a change in the nurse’s knowledge. Results were analyzed and indicated that the educational activity affected the improvement of the nurses’ test scores (t = -3.08, df = 9, p = .0066). The use of staff education module for timely management of elevated blood pressure in an acute ischemic stroke patient, promotes social change by providing enhanced staff knowledge and skills training that can lead to decreased patient mortality, morbidity, and reduced hospital costs and the need for long-term care.

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