Date of Conferral
2019
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Barbara Niedz
Abstract
The benefits of pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for children undergoing painful medical procedures are well documented in extant nursing literature; however, such techniques continue to be underused in practice. Improving comfort during medical procedures is necessary to enhance the patient and family experience. The purpose of this project was to provide education to nursing staff about pediatric pain theories and evidence-based practice recommendations that support the use comfort interventions for pediatric patients of all ages. The practice-focused question addressed the development of an educational program designed to enhance staff knowledge of comfort intervention options and the benefits provided to patients. The Kirkpatrick model of evaluation was used to guide the educational design and evaluation process. Data analysis demonstrated statistically significant improvement in test scores following the educational intervention. A total of 32 staff members of a unit at the project site participated in the project. Participant pretest scores averaged 61.6% and posttest scores averaged 97.8%, with all but 6 participants having scored 100% on the posttest. The nonparametric test Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used, and statistical significance was seen (z = -4.969, p = .000). Implications of this project to promote social change include opportunities to expand the use of the educational module to other departments within the organization to promote a culture of comfort through a fact-based understanding of the theories and evidence that support the consistent implementation of comfort techniques.
Recommended Citation
Mansky, Nicole Rae, "Enhancing Comfort Care Techniques in the Pediatric Inpatient Setting" (2019). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 6612.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6612
