Implementing a Standardized Phase-of-Care Craniotomy Education Program.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Surgical Care
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Community hospitals face challenges in providing specialized care like craniotomy procedures.
• Perioperative and critical-care nurses require specific training for neurosurgical patients.
• Developing a dedicated craniotomy program addresses local patient needs and improves care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement an evidence-based craniotomy education program for nurses.
• To assess nurses' knowledge, skills, and readiness for a new craniotomy program.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and satisfaction with the developed nursing education program.

Main Methods:

• Utilized adult learning theories and innovation diffusion framework for program development.
• Conducted a gap analysis and readiness assessment of nursing staff.
• Implemented a three-tiered, phase-of-care education program including didactic, shadowing, hands-on, and simulation components.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported high satisfaction with the craniotomy education program.
• The program successfully prepared nurses with necessary knowledge and skills for craniotomy patient care.
• Ongoing simulation sessions were implemented for continuous skill enhancement.

Conclusions:

• An evidence-based, multi-modal education program can effectively prepare nurses for specialized procedures like craniotomy.
• Addressing nurses' learning preferences and incorporating simulation enhances program effectiveness and satisfaction.
• Implementing such programs improves a hospital's capacity to serve complex patient populations.