Journal of trauma nursing : the official journal of the Society of Trauma Nurses
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Research supports the use of a correctly fitted bicycle helmet to reduce the risk of bicycle-related head injury. Although parents believe bicycle helmets work, a large percentage of children do not wear helmets while riding. ⋯ The greatest reduction in injury occurred 1 year after legislation, suggesting that promoting bicycle helmet use in the community is effective in reducing injury. The overall rate of bicycle-related injury in the population studied continues to be down 24%, suggesting bicycle helmet legislation for children is an effective adjunct in reducing injury. Extremity injury rates were greater than head injury in both male and female populations, suggesting that future bicycle safety initiatives address extremity injury. Female head injury rates in the 10- to 16-year-old population changed very little from baseline and would benefit from further investigation of female riding habits and perceived barriers to bicycle helmet use.
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Throughout the delivery of care after traumatic brain injury, the type of relationship that develops between the family and the professionals has a major effect on the day-by-day adjustment of traumatic brain injury individuals and their relatives. Seventeen health professionals from different disciplines working with the traumatic brain injury clientele at different stages of the continuum of trauma care underwent training in the form of e-learning to apply the Interdisciplinary Family Intervention Program, or PRIFAM. ⋯ The results show that the training stimulated personal and professional reflective thought in participants and fostered the forging of an interdisciplinary partnership. The training had a positive impact on communication between professionals and with the families and helped to develop a sense of self-efficacy among health professionals.
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Trauma has been perceived by the public as occurring as an isolated event, always resulting in favorable outcomes. There has therefore been a lack of discussion of futility of care and termination of care when dealing with the sick trauma patient. Several stages exist where issues of futility and early termination of care must be considered. ⋯ Next is in the emergency room, where heroic measures may not benefit the very sick patient. In the operating room, the surgeon must always reassess and recognize when massive resuscitation will not benefit a particular trauma patient. Lastly, the intensivist must recognize those patients who may or may not benefit from continued efforts to sustain life.
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The development of trauma systems in Australia has evolved over the last 18 to 20 years. Following a primarily North American model, nearly all the states and territories have identified and or implemented trauma system components to improve outcomes from injury. ⋯ As with most countries, multiple factors have influenced the development of trauma systems within each region. This study will provide an overview of the Australian Health System, initiatives implemented to reduce injury, the spectrum of trauma in Australia, and the current status of trauma systems development.
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Displaced evacuees from the Hurricane Katrina Disaster were sent to Indianapolis requiring a disaster response system activation. Throughout the entire disaster response period, there were a total of 80 disaster patients seen in the Wishard emergency department, 1,508 prescriptions filled for 300 patients by the Wishard pharmacy, and 125 patients treated at the outpatient disaster clinic. This article reviews the incident timeline, discuss the unique challenges encountered during the protracted incident command, and provide suggestions for other health systems' management for disasters and emergency situations.