Citation

Fetta J, Starkweather A, Huggins R, Van Hoof T, Casa D, Gill J. J. Sch. Nurs. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, National Association of School Nurses, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10598405211056646

PMID

34816759

Abstract

Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common phenomenon in the United States, with up to 3.6 million sport-related mTBIs diagnosed annually. Return to learn protocols have been developed to facilitate the reintegration of students into school after mTBI, however, the implementation of return to learn protocols varies significantly across geographic regions and school districts. An integrative review of the literature was performed using Whittemore and Knalf's methodology. A search of published literature was conducted using the PRISMA checklist. Database searches were conducted from March 2,019 to October 2,021 using the terms "mild traumatic brain injury" and "return to learn." Twenty-eight publications were included. Three themes were derived from this review: lack of policy, poor staff education on concussion symptoms and stakeholder communication breakdown. The development of communication patterns and use of a return to learn protocol could facilitate a gradual return to full academic workload after concussion.

Keywords: Adolescents; Young adults; TBI

Language: en

Keywords

concussion; mild traumatic brain injury; athletic training; integrative review; return to learn; school nursing