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Orthopedic trauma: critical care nursing issues.
Michael S Bongiovanni1, Susan L Bradley, Dorothy M Kelley
1Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, California, USA. bongiovanni.michael@scrippshealth.org
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
|March 1, 2005
Summary
Critical care nurses play a vital role in managing orthopedic trauma, including severe injuries like pelvic fractures and compartment syndrome. This review highlights their essential contributions to patient care and outcomes in orthopedic trauma management.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Trauma Care
- Critical Care Nursing
Background:
- Orthopedic trauma is a common challenge in critical care settings.
- Severely injured patients often present with complex orthopedic injuries.
- Critical care nurses are integral members of the trauma team.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of critical care nurses in orthopedic trauma management.
- To illustrate nursing interventions through case examples.
- To focus on specific high-impact orthopedic injuries.
Main Methods:
- Review of actual case examples.
- Discussion of nursing roles in managing specific orthopedic conditions.
- Focus on key areas of orthopedic trauma.
Main Results:
- Critical care nurses manage a wide spectrum of orthopedic trauma.
- Specific conditions discussed include unstable pelvic fractures, extremity fractures, compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, mangled extremities, and gunshot-wound fractures.
- The principles of damage-control orthopedics are relevant to critical care nursing.
Conclusions:
- Critical care nurses are essential in the multidisciplinary management of orthopedic trauma.
- Effective nursing care is crucial for optimizing outcomes in patients with severe orthopedic injuries.
- Understanding specific orthopedic emergencies informs critical care practice.