Parental Knowledge and Recall of Concussion Discharge Instructions

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Neurotrauma
• Patient Education

Background:

• Concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) is a common emergency department visit for children.
• Effective discharge instructions are crucial for parents to manage recovery and identify neurological emergencies.
• Current discharge practices may not adequately equip parents with necessary knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess parental knowledge and recall of discharge instructions after a child's mTBI.
• To evaluate the impact of supplementing written instructions with verbal reinforcement.

Main Methods:

• Nested observational study of parents/caregivers of adolescents with mTBI.
• Standardized written and verbal discharge instructions were provided.
• Parental knowledge and recall were assessed via survey 3 days post-discharge.

Main Results:

• Nearly 20% of parents were unclear about when to seek re-evaluation for head injury.
• Up to 25% of parents could not recall specific concussion advice.
• Verbal reinforcement of written instructions significantly improved recall.

Conclusions:

• Emergency department clinicians should use both verbal and written discharge instructions.
• Enhanced communication strategies are needed to improve parental understanding of mTBI care.
• Improving recall of discharge advice can lead to better patient outcomes and prevent reinjury.