Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Hospital-Based Injury Prevention Professionals: A National Survey.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 challenged U.S. trauma centers to grapple with demands for expanded services with finite resources while also experiencing a concurrent increase in violent injuries. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of COVID-19 on the roles and duties of U.S. hospital-based injury prevention professionals. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional survey study of hospital-based injury prevention professionals was conducted between June 2021 and August 2021. Participants were recruited from six organizational members of the national Trauma Prevention Coalition, including the American Trauma Society, Emergency Nurses Association, Injury Free Coalition for Kids, Safe States Alliance, Society for Trauma Nurses, and Trauma Center Association of America. Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: A total of 216 participants affiliated with 227 trauma centers responded. The following changes were reported during 2020: change in injury prevention position (range = 31%-88%); change in duties (range = 92%-100%); and change to hospital-based injury prevention programs (range = 75%-100%). Sixty-one (43%) single-center participants with a registered nurse license were reassigned to clinical duties compared with six (10%) nonlicensed participants (OR = 5.6; 95% CI [1.96, 13.57]; p < .001). Injury prevention programs at adult-only and combined adult and pediatric trauma centers had higher odds of suspension than pediatric-only trauma centers (OR = 3.6; 95% CI [1.26, 10.65]; p < .017). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 response exposed the persistent inequity and limited prioritization of injury prevention programming as a key deliverable for trauma centers.

Sustainability of an in-home fire prevention intervention.

Residential fires remain a challenge in many parts of the United States. This project assessed the sustainability of a community-based fire prevention intervention on household fire safety knowledge and practices. The design was a prospective, cohort study including preintervention and postintervention surveys, which assessed participants' fire safety knowledge and behavior. The implementation of an in-home visit to educate parents of third- and fourth-grade students on escape planning coupled with the installation of smoke alarms can be successful in increasing basic fire safety knowledge and household fire safety practices.

Evaluation of child safety seat checkpoint events.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of child safety seat checkpoints in generating change in child restraint practice to reduce the prevalence and extent of misuse. METHODS: Child safety seats underwent an initial checkpoint evaluation and participants received a training session. Participants were asked to return within 6-12 months to a checkpoint for follow-up evaluation. During each visit, a data collection sheet was used to assess the participants' use of their child safety seat, and to subsequently calculate a restraint misuse score to characterize the child safety seat's usage before and after the intervention. RESULTS: During the period of study, 42 participants underwent both the initial and follow-up child safety seat check. Before the intervention, at least one misuse was identified in 100% of installed child safety seats. After the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the proportion of rear-facing child safety seats (18.8%) and forward-facing child safety seats (64.0%) that had at least one misuse (p<0.001). Almost all (93.4%) of those using rear-facing child safety seats and the majority (64.0%) of those using forward-facing child safety seats improved their safety score as measured after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Although misuse was universally observed, child safety seat checkpoint events were successful in improving usage practices.