Abstract
Inadequate treatment of adrenal insufficiency (AI) can lead to life-threatening complications. Proper treatment includes appropriate medication changes during times of stress, illness, or injury with either increased oral medication or administration of parenteral hydrocortisone. It is paramount patients and their caregivers have the knowledge and training to properly adjust oral hydrocortisone dosing and administer parenteral hydrocortisone when needed to promote health and well-being. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based educational resource for nursing staff in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to increase knowledge and comfort when providing care and education to families with a diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. This resource will serve as a foundation for the education provided by the pediatric endocrinology providers in the inpatient and outpatient setting, as well as a resource to be given to families upon diagnosis. Nursing staff knowledge was measured pre and post education intervention to evaluate for change. There was a significant difference in the scores for AI knowledge from pre (M=5.18, SD=1.501) to the post education (M=7.37; SD=0.775) [t(77)=-10.919; p=0.000]. Nursing staff also reported an increase in comfort level with providing caregiver education regarding AI management.