Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block Education
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opioids
regional anesthesia
Nursing
Post-BSN for Nurse Anesthetists (DNP-NA)
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Abstract
Severe pain in the genitourinary (GU) population after abdominal surgery remains a major problem, that can impact surgical healing, recovery of bowel function, and prolong hospital length of stay. The current gold standard for managing postoperative pain includes opioid administration, such as fentanyl, hydromorphone and morphine. Inadequate pain control and excessive opioid use after abdominal surgery are associated with numerous adverse effects. The utilization of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks during abdominal surgeries have shown to provide postoperative pain relief and decrease opioid consumption. A large government hospital is implementing TAP blocks in their GU division. Prior to their implementation, the Doctoral of Nursing Practice (DNP) candidates facilitated a didactic and simulation-based teaching about TAP blocks to improve providers knowledge and competency. This evidence-based practice project followed a descriptive design that consisted of a pre-test, immediate post-test, and a one-month post-test. Eleven study participants were analyzed using repeated measures across three time points. A statistically significant increase in overall knowledge scores (p = 0.023) was observed. Education and simulation prior to implementation of a new clinical intervention is vital for its success. The increase in median test scores demonstrates the success of the project’s design and sheds light on its future implications for robust knowledge dissemination.