Date Approved

1996

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Nursing (M.S.N.)

Degree Program

College of Nursing

First Advisor

Kay Setter-Kline

Second Advisor

Agnes Britton

Third Advisor

Richard Paschke

Abstract

Family caregivers readily identify the physical signs of brain injury but the cognitive dysfunction and behavioral change symptoms are less easily recognized. Families need to be knowledgeable about brain injury and how to manage its symptoms. Nurses are in the unique position to provide brain injury education for family caregivers early in the acute hospitalization. This study replicated the works of Sanguinetti and Catanzaro (1987) and Pardee (1993).; Statistical comparison of pretest and posttest knowledge and the pretest and posttest application scores were used to evaluate the effectiveness of family caregivers' ability to apply learned information about brain injury and its management techniques. Hypothesis 1 was supported in that a statistically significant increase in knowledge (p =.000) about the cognitive dysfunction, behavioral change and physical signs of brain injury was found. Hypothesis 2 was supported in that a statistically significant increase (p =.001) in the pretest and posttest application scores was found after viewing the "Life After Brain Injury" video tape.

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