The Implementation of Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Palsy Education

Abstract

Brachial plexus injuries are a fairly common diagnosis seen within the outpatient pediatric setting. Obstetrical brachial plexus injuries occur in approximately 0.9 per 1000 live births (Lin & Samora, 2022). Due to lack of awareness, as well as the wide range of severity and prognosis, many caregivers of infants and children find it difficult to explain their child’s injury in a child-friendly manner. This difficulty has the potential to negatively impact the child’s self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-advocacy skills. The capstone student, as well as the site’s stakeholders identified this gap within the current educational material being provided at the brachial plexus clinic. This doctoral capstone project involved creating evidence based and child-friendly educational materials for children and caregivers of children with obstetric brachial plexus palsy. Following the implementation of the created educational materials, participants reported increased comfort and confidence discussing obstetric brachial plexus palsy with their child. Additionally, caregivers also reported they feel these materials have the potential to lead to improving the child’s ability to advocate for themselves.