title: Effect of educational preparation on the accuracy of linear growth measurement in pediatric primary care practices: results of a multicenter nursing study.
abstract: Consistently monitoring a child's linear growth is one of the least invasive, most sensitive tools to identify normal physiologic functioning and a healthy lifestyle. However, studies, mostly from the United Kingdom, indicate that children are frequently measured incorrectly. Inaccurate linear measurements may result in some children having undetected growth disorders whereas others with normal growth being referred for costly, unwarranted specialty evaluations. This study presents the secondary analysis of a primary study that used a randomized control study design to demonstrate that a didactic educational intervention resulted in significantly more children being measured accurately within eight pediatric practices. The secondary analysis explored the influence of the measurer's educational level on the outcome of accurate linear measurement. Results indicated that RNs were twice as likely as non-RNs to measure children accurately.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA. khl@comcast.net
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hench
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shults
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Benyi
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clow
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delaune
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gilluly
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Maryann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rossiter
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McKnight-Menci
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shorkey
authors.forename: Fran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Waite
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Terri H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lipman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015982:Bias; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards*; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity