Restoring social competence in minor head-injury patients.

The Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Virginia was awarded a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for a project entitled "Restoring Social Competence: Interventions to Reduce the Physical and Socioeconomic Consequences of Injury." This article describes the role nurse clinicians played in the project and identifies the most effective and efficient nursing contributions in achieving the project goals. Data collected by nurse clinicians, nursing strategies of management, and nursing interventions to treat the consequences of minor head injury are presented. Changes in minor head injury management at the Department of Neurological Surgery have resulted in more efficient use of nurses and decreased economic and psychosocial costs to patients.