Emergency Nurses and Their Roles in Injury Prevention

Abstract

Hundreds of thousands of individuals living in the United States are accidentally injured every year. The purpose of this thesis is to identify risks contributing to accidental injury, individuals’ perception of injury prevention, and the availability of prevention measures. Using surveys, 41 respondents identified the cause of injury, factors influencing injury, available prevention measures, and education received after the injury. Distracting factors were involved in 43.9% of all injuries. Most respondents (80.4%) thought their injuries could have been prevented, and 43.9% were aware of ways to prevent the injury. Few respondents (19.51%) received prevention information, and over half (68.29%) will make lifestyle changes to prevent future injury. The results indicated individuals are ready for enhanced learning related to injury prevention. Nurses can play a vital role in educating the public on how distractions play a part in causing injuries and ways to decrease distractions during potentially risky behaviors.