Perioperative considerations of firearm injuries

The trauma patient who presents to the operating room averages three to six separate surgical procedures initially. Almost half of all trauma is because of penetrating injuries and, more often than not, is the result of injury by firearms. Successful intervention during the perioperative phase is a result of critical thinking and planning by the perioperative nurse based on familiarity with the mechanism of injuries produced by firearms. An understanding of the types of weapons and ballistics will give the perioperative nurse a basis for assessment and care planning.