Journal of trauma nursing : the official journal of the Society of Trauma Nurses
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There are many different roles in which acute care nurse practitioners can function. At our institution, the trauma nurse practitioners work in partnership with the trauma attendings to lead the plan of care. The nurse practitioners' holistic approach, emphasis on communication, attention to detail, flexibility and availability has had a substantial impact on patient outcomes as well as staff satisfaction. In this article, we provide an overview of our unique role and the impact on quality of care.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects nearly 1.4 million Americans annually with an estimated 5.3 million US citizens living with disability. There is no standardized course of treatment for individuals with moderate TBI. This study aims to evaluate the patient demographics and acute care course for those with moderate TBI. ⋯ Moderate TBI is a unique subset of brain injury. Having a better understanding of its course of recovery will help develop appropriate management guidelines for this group.
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There has been growing concern for many years over the impending shortage of trauma surgeons due to attrition and the lack of residents choosing the trauma surgical specialty area. Along with this concern, trauma admissions continue to increase and many trauma services are merging with acute care surgery, increasing the overall service line volume. ⋯ Trauma centers are faced with gaps in patient coverage, placing the need for midlevel practitioners in high demand. This article discusses (1) the utilization of advanced practice nurses on a trauma and acute care surgery service and (2) how the implementation of a formal rounding process improves nursing and physician satisfaction as well as length of stay.
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The Emergency Preparedness Committee in the emergency department at a Level I Trauma Center identified a knowledge gap related to hazardous materials and items (Hazmat) incidents and their associated decontamination procedures. This led to the development of a "user-friendly" resource guide for key staff, specifically charge nurses, to utilize during Hazmat situations. Implementing this reference book has significantly increased the number of identified Hazmat incidents. The staff members involved have utilized the reference book to effectively guide them through the Hazmat incidents.
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Health care reform and legislation of restricted resident work hours lead to the evaluation and the changes in health care delivery. In the early 1990s, the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner role evolved to fill the care gaps created by these changes. ⋯ With few role models, the responsibility of integration is left in the hands of novice NPs, hospital administrators, or physician colleagues. The purpose of this article was to outline orientation, implementation, and evaluation strategies to optimize the transition of trauma NP into the inpatient setting.