Video Discharge Instructions (VDI) as Adjuncts to Written Discharge Instructions in the Emergency Department

Overview

Patients seen in the ED with either a laceration, minor head injury, or urinary tract infection will be randomized to one of two groups. Both groups will receive the standard written discharge instructions; in addition, one group will watch video discharge instructions. Each patient will be asked to complete a short survey with questions related to the discharge instructions received in the ED, and will be called 5-7 days after the ED visit to ask questions about discharge instructions and the ED visit.

Patients will be enrolled in the study at George Washington University Hospital's Emergency Department. Patients who consent will be randomly assigned to one of two groups; (1) standard Written Discharge Instructions from the nursing staff (2) standard Written Discharge Instructions from the nursing staff AND watching the Video Discharge Instructions on a tablet. Subjects will complete a survey after they have received their discharge instructions and before leaving the ER. Several (5-7) days after leaving the Emergency Department, subjects will receive a phone call from one of the investigators staff members asking 2-3 questions about their ED visit and how they treated the condition at home. The survey questions at discharge and at follow-up will pertain to how to care for the condition and will be based on the discharge instructions. The study is designed to determine if patients retain health information more accurately if they watch a video in addition to being given written information. A total sample size of 200 participants will be recruited. Enrollment for this study will begin June of 2016 and will continue until the investigators have enough participants. The data analyst will be blinded to treatment assignment when analyzing the data.