Early recognition and care of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department

The purpose of this project was to create an educational module to assist emergency department (ED) nurses (RNs) with the rapid recognition and treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Early intervention is critical since patient care delays are associated with debilitating morbidities and high mortality rates. Despite evidence-based guidelines which emphasize the expeditious management of AMI, the nursing care for these patients is frequently tardy. In response, a two step AMI educational module and theoretical framework, based on suppositions offered by the Social Learning Theory and the Theory of Bureaucratic Caring, were created. Effectiveness of the module was assessed through its presentation to a pilot group of 10 ED RNs and a qualitative retrospective review determined participant approval. Statistical analysis of the module's final test revealed a test item difficulty index of greater than 0.7 which threatened its validity. Recommendations for future module presentations as well as methods to increase complexity are discussed. Overall, a general consensus revealed the module's effectiveness on improving prompt recognition and treatment of AMI.