Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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Observational Study
Parental Knowledge and Recall of Concussion Discharge Instructions.
Children increasingly are being seen in the emergency department for a concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). A key aim of the ED visit is to provide discharge advice that can help parents to identify an evolving neurosurgical crisis, facilitate recovery, and prevent reinjury. The present study examined parents' knowledge of symptoms and recall of discharge instructions after their adolescent's mTBI and the effect of supplementing written discharge instructions with verbal instruction and reinforcement. ⋯ Emergency nurses and clinicians should strive to utilize both verbal and written discharge instructions with families to help increase understanding.