SCD Nursing Education: A Scoping Review

SCD is a rare, inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects Black patients. Individuals living with SCD experience significant pain crises and complications due to the sickling of red blood cells. These pain crises cause complications that affect every body system and are extremely dangerous, requiring immediate recognition and intervention to prevent severe complications and death. Nurses are the primary care providers for these individuals across the care continuum, but they often lack the knowledge and skills to do so effectively. There is a dearth of nursing education about SCD in undergraduate to post-graduate nursing professional education. This review highlights the need for additional education and preparation for nurses caring for patients with SCD and programs to follow up and ensure nurses are using this information to improve the care of these individuals. Two electronic databases were searched, yielding numerous results that were not relevant to the topic of study. Ultimately, nine articles analyzing sickle cell education programs for nurses were included. However, only two articles had information regarding intensive workshops, with one targeting emergency room providers. Critical findings include the shortage of SCD nursing education for all areas of nursing, warranting future development, implementation, and evaluation of educational interventions targeting nurses caring for individuals living with SCD.

Duke Scholars

Author Stephanie Ibemere School of Nursing