1.1 Introduction
Emergency nursing is a specialized area of nursing practice that focuses on the rapid assessment, stabilization, treatment, and continuous monitoring of patients experiencing acute illnesses or traumatic injuries requiring immediate medical attention. In pediatric trauma care according to the International Council of Nurses (2021), emergency nurses are responsible for performing prompt patient assessment, maintaining airway, breathing, and circulation, administering emergency interventions, monitoring vital signs, providing emotional support to families, and collaborating with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to improve patient outcomes.
Pediatric trauma refers to physical injuries sustained by children as a result of road traffic accidents, falls, burns, drowning, sports injuries, violence, and other accidental events that require urgent medical intervention (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Trauma remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide, making early recognition and immediate emergency management essential for reducing complications and preventing avoidable deaths. The effectiveness of pediatric trauma care depends largely on the ability of emergency healthcare professionals, especially nurses, to recognize life-threatening conditions quickly and initiate appropriate interventions within the shortest possible time.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the aim and objectives of the study. Others are significance of the study, scope of work, research hypothesis and questions, limitation of the study and definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Historically, emergency nursing can be traced to the development of organized emergency healthcare services aimed at providing immediate care to individuals experiencing severe injuries and sudden illnesses. Emergency nursing developed as healthcare systems according to the Emergency Nurses Association (2022) recognized the need for specially trained nurses who could respond quickly to critical conditions requiring urgent assessment and treatment. Early emergency nursing practices were mainly focused on basic first aid, wound care, and assisting physicians during emergencies, but the field gradually expanded with advances in medical technology, trauma care, and patient management.
Emergency nursing is a specialized field of healthcare practice that focuses on the immediate assessment, stabilization, treatment, and monitoring of patients experiencing sudden illnesses, injuries, or life-threatening conditions.
Emergency nurses are trained professionals who provide rapid and skilled interventions to patients requiring urgent care while ensuring safety, effective communication, and coordination with other healthcare providers. In the management of pediatric trauma, emergency nurses play a significant role because children respond differently to injuries compared with adults due to differences in body structure, physiological development, and emotional needs. Their ability to recognize critical conditions, initiate emergency procedures, and provide continuous monitoring is essential for improving survival and recovery among injured children (Emergency Nurses Association, 2022).
Pediatric trauma refers to physical injuries occurring among children as a result of accidents, falls, burns, road traffic crashes, sports activities, violence, and other harmful events that require immediate medical attention. Injuries remain a major cause of death and disability among children globally, with many cases requiring urgent emergency care to prevent severe complications (World Health Organization, 2021). Similarly, Peden et al. (2020) reported that childhood injuries create significant health challenges because delays in emergency response and inadequate trauma management may increase the risk of long-term disabilities and preventable deaths.
Emergency nurses serve as the first point of professional contact for many trauma patients entering emergency departments. Harding et al. (2022) asserted that effective emergency nursing practice requires advanced clinical judgment, critical thinking ability, and the capacity to make quick decisions in situations where delays may negatively affect patient outcomes. These responsibilities make emergency nurses essential members of the trauma care team (Harding et al., 2022). The increasing burden of pediatric trauma has created the need for continuous evaluation of emergency nursing practices in healthcare institutions.
In Nigeria, pediatric trauma remains an important healthcare concern due to increasing cases of road traffic accidents, domestic injuries, burns, and other emergency conditions affecting children. According to Oyediran et al. (2021), Nigerian healthcare facilities continue to experience challenges in trauma management, including limited resources, delays in emergency response, and gaps in specialized trauma care services. Likewise, Odetola and Molokie (2020) stated that improving emergency healthcare delivery requires strengthening professional capacity, improving hospital systems, and ensuring that healthcare workers receive adequate support to manage complex emergencies effectively (Odetola and Molokie, 2020). This study is set against the backdrop of the increasing need to strengthen emergency nursing services for pediatric trauma patients and ensure that children experiencing traumatic injuries receive timely, competent, and effective care that improves their chances of recovery.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that pediatric trauma remains one of the leading causes of illness, disability, and death among children, especially in low and middle income countries where road traffic accidents, falls, burns, and other injuries are common. Emergency nurses are usually the first healthcare professionals to assess, stabilize, and monitor injured children on arrival at the emergency unit.
On the other hand, delays in assessment, limited specialized pediatric trauma training, shortage of emergency resources, and increasing patient load often reduce the effectiveness of emergency nursing care, thereby affecting treatment outcomes (World Health Organization, 2021).
Furthermore, effective management of pediatric trauma requires rapid clinical decision making, continuous monitoring, prompt communication with multidisciplinary teams, and adherence to established emergency care protocols (American College of Surgeons, 2023). It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to evaluate the emergency nursing role in managing pediatric trauma patients.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this study is to evaluate the emergency nursing role in managing pediatric trauma patients at National Hospital, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
The specific objectives of this study are to:
- Examine the roles performed by emergency nurses in managing pediatric trauma patients at National Hospital, Abuja.
- Assess the level of knowledge and skills possessed by emergency nurses in pediatric trauma management.
- Identify the challenges affecting emergency nurses in providing care for pediatric trauma patients.
- Determine the availability and adequacy of resources used by emergency nurses in managing pediatric trauma cases.
- Evaluate the influence of emergency nursing practices on the outcome of pediatric trauma patient management.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:
- What roles do emergency nurses perform in managing pediatric trauma patients at National Hospital, Abuja?
- What is the level of knowledge and skills possessed by emergency nurses in pediatric trauma management?
- What challenges affect emergency nurses while providing care for pediatric trauma patients?
- What resources are available and adequate for emergency nurses managing pediatric trauma cases?
- How do emergency nursing practices influence the management outcomes of pediatric trauma patients?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Emergency nursing roles do not have a significant influence on the management of pediatric trauma patients at National Hospital, Abuja.
- H1: Emergency nursing roles have a significant influence on the management of pediatric trauma patients at National Hospital, Abuja.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: The level of knowledge and skills of emergency nurses does not significantly affect pediatric trauma management outcomes.
- H1: The level of knowledge and skills of emergency nurses significantly affects pediatric trauma management outcomes.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: Challenges affecting emergency nurses do not significantly influence the quality of pediatric trauma care delivery.
- H1: Challenges affecting emergency nurses significantly influence the quality of pediatric trauma care delivery.
Hypothesis Four
- H0: Availability of emergency care resources does not significantly affect the management of pediatric trauma patients.
- H1: Availability of emergency care resources significantly affects the management of pediatric trauma patients.
Hypothesis Five
- H0: Emergency nursing practices do not significantly influence pediatric trauma patient outcomes.
- H1: Emergency nursing practices significantly influence pediatric trauma patient outcomes.
1.7 Significance of Study
The outcome of this research will provide information on the contribution of emergency nurses to pediatric trauma management at National Hospital, Abuja. It will also assist hospital management in identifying areas requiring improvement in emergency nursing services, including training needs, staffing, and availability of resources.
Furthermore, the study will provide evidence that will support the development of policies aimed at improving emergency healthcare services for children in Nigeria.
Lastly, the findings will serve as a reference material for nursing students, researchers, and healthcare professionals interested in pediatric emergency care and trauma management.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of this research is focused on the evaluation of emergency nursing roles in managing pediatric trauma patients at National Hospital, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory. The study covers emergency nurses involved in pediatric trauma care and examines their responsibilities, knowledge, skills, challenges, available resources, and contribution to patient management outcomes.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Emergency Nursing:
Emergency nursing refers to a specialized area of nursing practice that involves the immediate assessment, treatment, and monitoring of patients experiencing urgent medical conditions or injuries.
Pediatric Trauma:
Pediatric trauma refers to injuries experienced by children due to accidents, falls, burns, road traffic crashes, and other harmful events requiring immediate medical attention.
Emergency Nursing Role:
Emergency nursing role refers to the responsibilities performed by nurses in emergency settings, including patient assessment, first response care, monitoring, medication administration, communication, and assisting with emergency procedures.
Trauma Management:
Trauma management refers to the organized process of assessing, treating, and monitoring patients who have sustained injuries.
Pediatric Patient:
A pediatric patient refers to an individual within the childhood age group who requires healthcare services due to illness, injury, or medical conditions.
National Hospital, Abuja:
National Hospital, Abuja is a tertiary healthcare institution in Nigeria that provides specialized medical services, including emergency care and trauma management. The hospital serves as a referral center for patients requiring advanced healthcare services.
…