Evidence-Based Education to Enhance Triage Nurses’ Fever Management Guidance

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project is to present a 15-minute presentation with pre- and post-surveys to review and add to the knowledge and confidence of triage nurses in advising caregivers of a fevering child. Background: Many parents worry excessively about fevers in children, leading to unnecessary visits to healthcare providers and overtreatment with medication. These concerns can be reduced through education provided by triage nurses. By providing parents with accurate information about fever management and when to seek medical attention, triage nurses can help reduce unnecessary healthcare utilization and improve patient outcomes. Methods: This quality improvement project used a quantitative quasi-experimental method with a convenience sample of a group of triage nurses at a midsized suburban city in central Utah. Pre and post-surveys with an educational presentation were utilized. With descriptive statistics applied the change in knowledge and confidence level were examined. Results: After the intervention, triage nurses demonstrated more consistent and accurate understanding of fever management principles, and significant increase in confidence in providing advice to caregivers of fevering children. Conclusions: This DNP project aimed to improve triage nurses' knowledge and confidence in advising parents of children with fevers. After watching an educational video, the nurses demonstrated significant improvement in both knowledge and confidence. This suggests that targeted educational interventions can empower triage nurses to provide better guidance to parents, potentially reducing unnecessary healthcare visits.