Developing guidelines for the care of patients with head injuries receiving treatment at the Emergency and Forensic Medicine Department, Borabue Hospital, Maha Sarakham Province.

Abstract

      This study was an action research aimed to develop a care guideline for patients with head injuries, evaluate the appropriateness of practice compliance, and assess personnel satisfaction with the developed guideline. The study was conducted from September to November 2024 at the Emergency and Forensic Medicine Department, Borabue Hospital, Mahasarakham Province. The sample consisted of 26 emergency department personnel selected by purposive sampling, comprising 22 registered nurses, 2 emergency medical practitioners, and 2 emergency medical technicians. Research instruments included an evidence-based head injury care guideline, a practice checklist, and a satisfaction questionnaire, all of which were validated for content validity by three experts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, and inferential statistics using the Wilcoxon Test.

      The results revealed that the developed guideline consisted of three main components: symptom assessment, nursing care, and discharge instructions. Regarding personnel practice, before guideline development, the majority of personnel had a moderate practice level at 88.5% and a poor level at 11.5% (Mean=19.92, S.D.=1.72). After guideline development, all personnel achieved a good practice level at 100% (Mean=29.15, S.D.=1.05), with a statistically significant increase at the .05 level (Z=-4.48, p=.000). Overall personnel satisfaction with the developed guideline was at a high level (Mean=2.95, S.D.=0.05).