BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inconsistency in the use of secondary brain injury prevention guidelines among US trauma centers after severe traumatic brain injury is prevalent in many literature sources. However, this phenomenon has not been thoroughly studied. The purpose of this DNP project is to identify the key barriers and challenges in compliance to the evidence-based guidelines for secondary brain injury prevention. DESIGN: An exploratory, emergent design was used to collect descriptive qualitative data through the use of a survey. SETTING: Six Phoenix Metropolitan Level 1 trauma centers. PARTICIPANTS: All survey participants who consented to survey completion, which had greater than six months of experience and directly worked with patients suffering from a severe TBI in the clinical setting. MEASUREMENTS: Participant demographics (work experience, area of work, job title), current awareness and use of Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, and time duration for evidence based order set implementation. Narrative responses were also used to identify barriers to current use of the BTF guidelines and factors that may promote their use in the future. RESULTS: A total of 43 participants consented to the survey study, with completion by 35 participants. RNs (n=27), Physicians (n=2), NPs or PAs (n=5), with an average work experience of 6 to 14 years (42.86%). A total of n=22 (62%) of participants were unaware of the current BTF guidelines for severe TBI and only 25% (n=9) aware that their facility has a protocol based on the BTF guidelines for severe TBI, while 51% (n=18) were unsure if their facility had a protocol. Barriers were identified in narrative form and were consistent with awareness/education, provider congruence, communication, and order set/protocol process improvement. CONCLUSION: The understanding of current patient management for severe TBI based on the BTF guidelines is sporadic among the greater Phoenix area Level 1 trauma centers. Requiring proof of BTF guidelines compliance by the ACS at time of Level 1 certification may increase the consistent recommended use of the BTF guidelines for the care of severe TBIs.

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SAMMANFATTNING Bakgrund Traumatisk skallskada drabbar relativt många och leder till personligt lidande och finansiell belastning för individ och samhälle då majoriteten får en svår till medelsvår funktionsnedsättning efter vårdtiden. På 1970-talet påvisades ett signifikant samband mellan högt ICP och sekundära hjärnskador. I studier där ICP >20 mmHg har förekommit kunde signifikant sämre utfall ses. Syfte Syftet med studien var att med hjälp av omvårdnadsprocessen observera intensivvårdssjuksköterskans identifiering och vidtagande av omvårdnadsåtgärder vid ett högt ICP samt utvärdera de utförda omvårdnadsåtgärderna.  Metod Prospektiv tvärsnittsundersökning, där sju intensivvårdssjuksköterskor och fem patienter observerades med hjälp av ett observationsformulär. Resultat 51(73 %) av de höga ICP normaliserades inom en minut och intensivvårdssjuksköterskan uppskattades ha observerat högt ICP i 50(71 %) av tillfällena inom en minut. 19(27 %) tillfällen observerades inte och 11(65 %) av omvårdnadsåtgärderna skedde inom en minut. Omvårdnadsåtgärder som utfördes var administrering av bolusdos med läkemedel (35 %) eller dränera likvor (35 %). Efter utförd omvårdnadsåtgärd normaliserades högt ICP inom en till två minuter, 7(41 %), och 4(24 %) normaliserades inom två till tre minuter. Slutsats Majoriteten av tillfällena med högt ICP uppmärksammades inom en minut och vanligast förkommande omvårdnadsåtgärderna var administrering av bolusdos sederande läkemedel eller dränera likvor. Av de tillfällen med intrakraniell hypertension som inte blev observerade var enbart ett par tillfällen ihållande i längre än en minut och samtliga normaliserades spontant inom två minuter. Intensivvårdssjuksköterskorna identifierade och effektivt åtgärdade intrakraniell hypertension snabbt, vilket kan bidra till ett bättre utfall för patienterna. / ABSTRACT Background Due to traumatic brain injury a financial burden is placed on the individual as well as the society and personal suffering also occurs. A significant correlation between elevated ICP and secondary injury was found in the 1970s. Significantly worse outcome was found in a numerous of studies where ICP >20mmHg occurred. Objective The aim of this study was to observe intensive care nurses nursing interventions and its efficiency to decrease ICP by using Orem’s Self-care deficit theory. Methods A prospective observational study. Seven intensive care nurses and five patients were observed. Results 51(73%) of the observed ICP >20mmHg were normalized within the minute. The intensive care nurses were estimated to have observed an on-going intracranial hypertension in 50(71 %) within the minute. 19(27 %) went unnoticed and 11(65 %) of the nursing interventions were executed within the minute. Nursing interventions executed were administration of a sedative (35 %), drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (35 %). Elevated ICP was normalized in 7(41 %) within two minutes and 4(24 %) within three minutes due to the nursing intervention. Conclusion Intensive care nurses noticed the majority of occasions with elevated ICP within one minute. The most commonly used nursing intervention was to administrate a sedative or to drain cerebrospinal fluid. All of the elevated ICP that went unnoticed normalized spontaneously within two minutes. The fast identification of and treated intracranial hypertension are likely to have contributed positively in the patient’s outcome.