Mild traumatic brain injury: a midwest survey about the assessment and documentation practices of emergency department nurses

Abstract

Research reported that mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), the most common neurological condition in the world, is often undetected in the emergency department. Failure to properly detect and offer treatment therapies has been linked to chronic complications such as, mood disorders and postconcussion syndrome. This descriptive study used a tailored survey (25.0% response rate) to determine emergency department nurses' practices for the assessment and documentation of persons with MTBI. The primary purpose was to determine the extent to which these practices were aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines contained within the Acute Concussion Evaluation care plan. Results indicated that physical and cognitive symptoms were assessed and documented more than emotional or sleep symptoms. Still, some cognitive and physical symptoms were rarely assessed or documented. Focus seemed to be on ruling out more severe brain injury versus detection of a mild brain injury. Aligning the systematic assessment and documentation of persons with suspected concussion MTBI with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is suggested.