Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Barbara Niedz

Abstract

Concussions are brain injuries--also called mild traumatic brain injuries--that affect the function of the brain temporarily or permanently. The purpose of this doctoral project was to develop an education module for staff at an urgent care center to address the lack of knowledge and low level of comfort regarding the care for patients with a head trauma. This project introduced and educated the clinical staff on an evidence-based protocol for the treatment and management of a patient with a concussion. The Rosswurm and Larrabee model for evidence-based change was used as a foundation for refining the practice question, gathering evidence, and translation of the protocol into the clinical setting. The Dreyfus model of the 5 stages of skill acquisition was used to measure the learners' level of achievement. A pretest and posttest were conducted to determine whether there was a gain in knowledge and confidence as a result of the project. There were 6 participants: 3 nonclinical staff and 3 nurses. Overall, there was a statistically significant improvement in confidence based on the Wilcoxon sign ranks test (z = -2.201; p = .028); however, a statistically significant increase in knowledge was not apparent, even though the scores did improve. All staff members were able to apply the practice guideline and make sound judgments using case studies. This project resulted in the translation of evidenced-based care into the urgent care setting, enhanced the confidence of the nursing staff, and has the potential to bring about positive social change by improving the quality of care that will be provided to patients with head injuries.

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