ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of high levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among pediatric orthopaedic trauma patients recovering from injury and to see whether injury or demographic variables are associated with the presence of the symptoms. METHODS: Four hundred pediatric orthopaedic trauma patients completed the Child PTSD Symptom Scale questionnaire. Demographic and injury variables were tested to see if any were associated with the presence of high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms. RESULTS: The average age of respondents was 11 years. The average time since injury was 36 days. The mean Injury Severity Score and summed Extremity Abbreviated Injury Score were 4 and 2, respectively. A total of 130 (33%) met criteria for high levels of PTSD symptoms. None of the variables tested were associated with high levels of PTSD symptoms, except one. Patients admitted to the hospital after injury were significantly more likely to develop high levels of PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are common in the recovery period after pediatric orthopaedic trauma, even among patients with relatively minor injury. Children admitted to the hospital after injury are at higher risk for such symptoms.
Subject(s)
Fractures, Bone/epidemiology , Fractures, Bone/therapy , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Risk Assessment/methods , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Causality , Child , Comorbidity , Female , Fractures, Bone/psychology , Humans , Male , Prevalence , Recovery of Function , Risk Factors , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Texas/epidemiology , Trauma Severity Indices , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Nurse managers and nurse educators alike have historically discouraged hiring new graduate RNs into a float pool and have preferred experienced nurses with multiple clinical skills. With a nursing shortage and changing marketplace, we need different strategies for recruitment and retention and ways to improve our clinical practice. A new graduate RN offers a nursing service an opportunity to employ a motivated, ready-to-learn, educationally prepared and intellectually stimulated nurse who happens to have limited clinical experience. The authors present a program for training new graduate RNs to practice nursing in a float pool. The training program focuses on their clinical practice needs and on transitioning them to the RN role. This program resulted in a 96% retention rate. The program offered our medical surgical units a strong clinical support float nurse, our managers a staffing solution in times of need, and the new graduate RN a broad range of clinical experiences making them more valuable members of the healthcare team. This training model is one approach to increasing recruitment and retention and can be replicated in other institutions.
