Trauma resuscitations and patient perceptions of care and comfort

Patients subjected to common trauma resuscitation practices can have varied emotional responses to certain aspects of their initial evaluation and care. Thirty-four patients admitted to the hospital after blunt traumatic injury were randomly selected to complete a self-reported questionnaire regarding their comfort levels with certain aspects of their initial trauma care and resuscitation. Most patients reported higher levels of comfort with procedures generally expected by the lay public and lower levels of comfort with those procedures less well known or for which they were not prepared. Analysis of survey data showed a larger percentage of discomfort with the digital rectal examination than with other aspects of trauma care. Notably, data analysis also showed a significant percentage of patients who were reluctant to disclose receiving a digital rectal examination. Additional investigation into the validity and reproducibility of these trends is warranted; however, there is legitimate evidence that there is room to improve a patient's perception of comfort during a trauma resuscitation and initial workup through improved communication and procedure disclosure.