Trauma Basics
Airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure make up this initial trauma assessment.
What is the primary survey/ABCDE assessment?
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the three major nutrients that provide this for the body.
What is energy/calories?
This ethical principle protects a patient's right to make decisions about their own medical care.
What is autonomy?
A postoperative patient has abdominal distention, nausea, and absent bowel sounds. What complication should the nurse suspect?
What is postoperative ileus?
This hemodynamic term describes ventricular stretch at the end of diastole.
What is preload?
During the trauma primary survey, this letter includes assessment of GCS, pupils, and motor activity.
What is D — Disability?
Unintentional weight loss, inadequate calorie intake, loss of muscle mass, and decreased functional status are findings associated with this nutritional problem.
What is malnutrition/undernutrition?
This advance directive identifies treatments a patient wants or does not want if they become unable to communicate.
What is a living will?
Following major surgery, a patient develops sudden dyspnea, tachycardia, and an unexplained drop in SpO₂. What complication should be suspected first?
What is pulmonary embolism?
Three or more consecutive PVCs are considered what type of rhytm.
What is ventricular tachycardia or nonsustained VTach (NSVT)?
This period following major trauma emphasizes rapid assessment and intervention to prevent early death.
What is the Golden Hour?
This form of protein-energy malnutrition causes wasting of both body fat and tissue protein but may occur with normal serum protein levels.
What is marasmus?
This document identifies the person authorized to make health care decisions when the patient cannot.
What is a durable power of attorney for health care?
A patient 24 hours after abdominal surgery has increasing HR, decreasing BP, cool skin, and urine output of 20 mL/hr. The surgical dressing remains dry. What complication is most concerning?
What is internal hemorrhage?
A patient’s monitor shows pacing spikes that are not followed by QRS complexes. What pacemaker problem is occurring?
What is failure to capture?
A trauma patient has weak pulses, HR 132, BP 82/46, pallor, and active bleeding. These findings indicate a problem with this component of the primary survey.
What is circulation?
A critically ill patient requires nutrition support, but the GI tract cannot adequately absorb nutrients. This route of nutrition would be most appropriate.
What is parenteral nutrition (PN)?
Name THREE common symptoms the nurse may need to manage at end of life.
What are any three of the following: pain, anxiety, hunger, thirst, dyspnea, diarrhea, nausea, confusion, agitation, or sleep disturbance?
Several hours after receiving multiple units of packed red blood cells for traumatic hemorrhage, a patient develops tingling around the mouth, muscle twitching, and a prolonged QT interval. Which complication of blood transfusion should the nurse suspect?
What is hypocalcemia from citrate toxicity?
A patient suddenly becomes confused, diaphoretic, BP 72/40, and HR 38 but still has a pulse. This situation warrants activation of this team rather than waiting for cardiac arrest.
What is the Rapid Response Team?
Following a crush injury, a patient develops dark, tea-colored urine and an elevated CK level. This complication should the nurse suspect.
What is rhabdomyolysis?
A previously well-nourished patient develops a severe infection. Inflammation, decreased intake, and a hypermetabolic catabolic state rapidly increase nutritional requirements. This type of malnutrition can result.
What is acute disease-related/injury-related malnutrition?
A critically ill patient continues aggressive treatment but also receives interventions to control pain, dyspnea, and anxiety. This type of care can occur alongside curative treatment and is not limited to dying patients.
What is palliative care?
A patient with a chest tube suddenly develops dyspnea. The nurse notes absent tidaling and no drainage after the patient was repositioned. What should the nurse assess first?
What is the tubing for kinking or obstruction?
A patient with new atrial fibrillation has a HR of 168, BP 78/46, and increasing confusion. Vagal maneuvers didn’t work, what intervention should the nurse anticipate?
What is synchronized cardioversion?