Clinical Research Directory

Nurse-Delivered First-Aid Education for Recurrent Pediatric Epistaxis

Nosebleeds (epistaxis) are common in children and can cause anxiety for children and their caregivers. Although most nosebleeds can be managed at home using simple first-aid techniques, caregivers may not know the correct steps to stop bleeding or prevent repeated episodes. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether a nurse-delivered first-aid education program could improve caregivers' knowledge and practical skills and reduce recurrent nosebleeds and related healthcare visits among children aged 3-14 years. The study involved 144 caregiver-child pairs at a tertiary hospital in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group received an individual nurse-led education session lasting approximately 40-45 minutes, practical demonstrations and teach-back exercises, illustrated Arabic educational materials, and two follow-up telephone calls at weeks 2 and 6. The comparison group received usual medical care and advice. Caregivers' first-aid knowledge and skills were assessed at the beginning of the study and again at 4 and 12 weeks. The main outcome was caregivers' ability to correctly demonstrate nosebleed first aid at 12 weeks. Other outcomes included first-aid knowledge, the number and duration of nosebleeds, whether bleeding could be stopped at home within 15 minutes, and unplanned healthcare visits. The study aimed to determine whether a brief, structured nursing education program could help families manage recurrent childhood nosebleeds more effectively.