Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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Persons aged 65 years or older have up to a 45% increased functional dependence and a 10% mortality rate within the first 3 months after being discharged from the emergency department. It has been demonstrated that when elderly individuals are cared for by nurses with specialized training in geriatrics, their outcomes improve. However, few registered nurses have this specialized training. This study was designed to conduct a needs assessment of an emergency department concerning registered nurses' knowledge and self-assessment of geriatric emergency care. ⋯ The high ratings in the self-assessment section demonstrate a perception among the sample of being very capable in geriatric care. In contrast, the knowledge section revealed low scores throughout. This study revealed a clear lack of consistency between the nurses' knowledge about geriatric care and their perception of their ability to provide this care.
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Adherence to aftercare instructions following an emergency department visit may be essential for facilitating recovery and avoiding complications, but conditions for teaching and learning are less than ideal in the ED. The objective of this study was to identify and describe areas of patient confusion about ED discharge instructions. ⋯ This study demonstrated that patients commonly remain confused about aftercare information following treatment in an ED. Follow-up telephone calls may be useful for identifying and addressing ongoing learning needs.