Concussion competencies: a training model for school-based concussion management
Arthur Maerlender,
Jonathan D Lichtenstein,
Jennifer Parent-Nichols,
Kate Higgins,
Peggy Reisher
Affiliations
Arthur Maerlender
1University of Nebraska, Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior C 86 East Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, USA
Jonathan D Lichtenstein
2Director, Pediatric Neuropsychological Services Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth HB 7750 Department of Psychiatry One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
Jennifer Parent-Nichols
3Assistant Professor Franklin Pierce University 670 North Commercial St. Manchester, NH 03101, USA
Kate Higgins
1University of Nebraska, Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior C 86 East Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, USA
Peggy Reisher
4Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska PO Box 22147 Lincoln, NE 68542, USA
This study reports on the use of ten knowledge competencies related to the behavioral management of concussion in schools. Trainings using these competencies as learning objectives were delivered to school personnel. This aims of the use of competencies in this way are to streamline the education of key stakeholders, to establish clear roles and responsibilities for constituents and equip individuals working with students following a concussion with the relevant knowledge to optimize outcomes. The majority of participants, primarily speech language pathologists working as related service providers in the schools where the trainings occurred, judged the use of the competencies to be informative and useful to their practice both immediately following the training and at a 5-month follow-up. The greatest gains in knowledge were noted by those participants self-reporting the least amount of knowledge pre-training. Participants also ranked the perceived value and relative importance of each of the ten competencies.
