Date of Award
12-2026
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Committee Chair
Dr. Michong Rayborn
Committee Chair School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Committee Member 2
Dr. Mary Jane Collins
Committee Member 2 School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Abstract
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) commonly perform neuraxial anesthesia, specifically spinal and epidurals, for laboring mothers and cesarean sections. A frequent complication of these techniques is post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), resulting in the need for epidural blood patch (EpBP) administration. EpBPs are an effective procedure to alleviate these debilitating headaches. This doctoral project aims to address the clinical need for improved EpBP technique through the creation of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).
The OSCE was formulated through research on current best practice guidelines to improve provider competency, confidence, and overall patient outcomes. The EpBP OSCE provides a clinical scenario in a simulated environment for CRNAs to assess and enhance EpBP technique. This doctoral project addressed the validity of the OSCE as an educational tool for providers in the clinical setting.
To evaluate the OSCE, CRNAs were invited through email to participate in a review of the OSCE, followed by a survey to assess current provider competency in EpBP, as well as areas of improvement for this tool. The email included a link to the Qualtrics® survey, where providers agreed to informed consent, and were able to review the OSCE and answer survey questions. The questions included both a Likert Scale and one open-ended question regarding epidural blood patch administration, current provider competency, and areas for OSCE improvement. The results of the survey indicated that there were no needed improvements to the OSCE; however, there is a need for further education on the pathophysiology of PDPH and implications for epidural blood patch.
Copyright
Sydney Baggett and Alexandra Piedrahita, 2026
Recommended Citation
Baggett, Sydney and Piedrahita, Alexandra, "An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for Epidural Blood Patch Administration" (2026). Doctoral Projects. 293.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dnp_capstone/293
Included in
Anesthesia and Analgesia Commons, Anesthesiology Commons, Medical Education Commons, Nursing Commons, Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons