An Educational Intervention Incorporating Digital Storytelling to Implement Family Nursing Practice in Acute Care Settings

Abstract

This project describes implementation of an educational intervention designed to initiate practice changes that support families and nurses during acute illness. An academic–practice partnership and digital storytelling methodology provided a foundation. A quasi-experimental research design included quantitative and qualitative measurement before and after the educational intervention. Themes identified in digital stories of nurse experiences caring for families provided direction for the educational intervention including the digital stories, empirical evidence, and proposed changes in nursing practice focused on families. Nurse participants ( n = 160) in the educational intervention reported positive responses on a qualitative questionnaire. Comparing pretest and posttest results of the Family Nurse Practice Scale reflected positive, though not significant change. Family members ( n = 49) reported significantly improved perceptions of support on 7 of the 14 items on the Iceland Perceived Family Support Questionnaire. This project highlighted digital storytelling’s power to promote family interventions and move family nursing knowledge into practice.