Abstract
Although intensive care unit nurses have an integral role in preventing secondary brain injury when caring for critically ill traumatic brain injury patients, nursing practice varies and little research has examined if individual nurse characteristics affect judgments about secondary brain injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate how intensive care unit nurse characteristics influence judgments when managing secondary brain injury. A factorial survey research design was used to administer surveys to intensive care nurses from 2 level I trauma centers. Nursing shift and number of years in the intensive care unit were significant predictors of judgments. Understanding the role of nurse characteristics is important in future educational and research efforts aimed at evidence-based management of secondary brain injury.