Assessing concussion knowledge among school nurses and athletic program leaders

This article was initially published in the 10/1/26 edition of our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.

Researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recently conducted a study to investigate concussion knowledge, education, and organizational policies among school nurses and youth athletic program leaders, including coaches, supervisors, and volunteers. Led by Madeline Consuelos, the team found that school nurses and athletic program leaders understood their role in concussion care, but welcomed more education. In fact, 25% of the school nurses and 71% of youth athletic program leaders reported that they had never received formal concussion training. The researchers also found that gaps in concussion oversight existed for younger children and those injured in non-sport-related contexts, recreational settings, or free play. Finally, the researchers identified several barriers to concussion care, including lack of concussion awareness among families, lack of parental engagement, language barriers, and access to health care. This study was published in The Journal of School Nursing.

The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 school nurses and 14 youth athletic program leaders. Participants also completed a questionnaire that included questions about demographic information, medical experience, previous experience with concussion education and care, and self-reported concussion knowledge. The researchers used thematic analysis to identify patterns in the interview data.

The main limitation of this study is its generalizability, as the findings are based on interviews with a small group of school nurses and athletic program leaders in the Philadelphia area. The researchers note that all of the school nurses they interviewed were white, non-hispanic, and female, which limited the range of perspectives, lived experiences, and professional pathways that were represented. They assert that more research is needed, particularly in rural areas or areas without access to a concussion specialty care center, and with a more diverse group of participants.