Author: Trauma Nursing

The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Inhalation injuries occur when respiratory tissue is damaged by heat, smoke or chemicals. More than three-quarters (77%) of burn victim deaths are due to pulmonary complications from inhalation injuries. Trauma…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Ketamine is a powerful sedative and pain medication with a developing role in trauma care. Trauma and emergency nurses should understand the basic properties of ketamine, how it affects patients,…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Hypoxia is any state of low oxygen within body tissues. If the oxygen insufficiency is severe enough, it can be life-threatening. Most commonly, this life-threatening low oxygen state leads to…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Skin injuries and other surface trauma may appear minor on the outside, but looks can be deceiving. Trauma and emergency nurses should know how to recognize superficial injuries that may…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.The eye and its surrounding structures are highly complex, and an injury to this important body part can lead to permanent vision loss and disability. Because of these implications, many…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt intervention. Nurses are often the first to recognize the changes in patient condition that can indicate ICH, so their response…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Mechanical ventilators include several system alarms. Alarm limits are usually set by a respiratory therapist, but trauma and emergency nurses should understand the various alarms so they can address potential…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.The goal of triage in trauma is to salvage the maximum number of injured by flagging patients who need rapid intervention and identifying patients for whom treatment can be delayed.…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Male genital trauma includes relatively common straddle injuries and penetrating injuries related to multisystem trauma. However, trauma nurses may encounter several other penile and testicular injuries that are seen less…

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The Trauma Nursing column is produced in partnership with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®), developer of the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) certification.Chest injuries can lead to the loss of negative pressure within the pleural space. This causes the lung to collapse and can lead to respiratory distress and life-threatening complications. For…

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