Educational intervention to improve orthopedic splinting techniques in the emergency department setting
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Citation
Abstract
Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries are very common within the United States (US), accounting for 15% of all emergency department (ED) visits each year. Initial treatment of many MSK injuries includes immobilization via orthopedic splinting. It is important that all ED health care providers not only possess the requisite knowledge of orthopedic splinting techniques, but that they can also possess adequate clinical skills in the application of such splints. Unfortunately, optimal orthopedic splinting in the ED has been shown to be lacking. Poor patient outcomes are common, some studies citing up to a 93% error rate in orthopedic splinting.
The cause of inadequate splinting within the EDs across the US is three-fold. First, orthopedic splinting in the ED is done by various types of health care providers, all with different levels of experience and educational backgrounds. Second, there is a lack of education and consistent training of both MSK injuries and orthopedic splinting in medicine. Third, orthopedic splinting is a technical skill that requires sufficient time and practice to master. These factors combine to create an environment where health care providers are forced to learn orthopedic splinting while on the job.
This study aims to create a hospital level educational intervention that can be implemented in a level 1 – 3 trauma center ED to improve knowledge, competence, and confidence of all health care providers either assisting with or performing orthopedic splinting. It uses a two-system approach that focuses on both didactic and skills training.