Alisic et al, 2014 Avustralia | The research aimed to explore the experiences of emergency room nurses in caring for critically injured children. | A semi-structured qualitative study involving 20 nurses working in the emergency department. | A+ | The study highlights the need for providing psychosocial care and support in pediatric emergency departments. It indicates that nurses tend to focus more on physical care, and there is a lack of awareness about traumatic stress in children and widespread practices to promote psychological healing in emergency department settings. There is a call for further research and interventions to address this gap. While nurses are more involved in traumatic wound care, the importance of providing psychosocial care is emphasized. |
Kriel, K. A. (2020). South Africa | The aim is to understand how traumatic events affect emergency room nurses. | An exploratory-descriptive phenomenological design involving 6 nurses with over 30 years of experience. | A+ | The findings revealed that emergency room nurses who experienced distressing patient phenomena such as mass casualties and gang-related cases exhibited psychological distress at levels including post-traumatic stress disorder, secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and symptoms of vicarious trauma. They also found instances of compassion fatigue, psychological distress, and stress disorders following traumatic wound care. |
Freeman et al., 2014 Canada | The study aims to explore the lived experience of being a trauma nurse in a trauma unit. | A phenomenological qualitative study involving 7 nurses. | B+ | The study revealed four subsets of themes: being always vigilant, not being caught unprepared, facing challenges, and sharing the journey. While trauma nurses may find meaning and satisfaction in their roles in wound care management, the findings of this research indicate the need for support and ensuring safe working environments due to the potential for trauma nurses to experience violence and aggression in their daily nursing practices. |
Lee, H. J., & Lee, S. K. (2022). South Korea | The study aimed to investigate the effects of job embeddedness and the nursing work environment on turnover intentions among nurses in trauma centers. | A cross-sectional study involving 120 nurses. | A+ | The nurses in trauma centers, faced with the mortality of severely injured trauma patients, are found to experience higher psychological burdens and be more sensitive to job stress. If trauma nurses can choose the clinical equipment used and ensure an adequate supply of qualified staff, turnover among nurses can be prevented, ultimately leading to improved quality of nursing care and enhanced patient safety. This study highlights the necessity of equipment selection and trained, competent personnel for ensuring adequate and safe care in trauma wound management. |
Catlette, M. (2005). ABD | The aim is to examine the phenomenon of workplace violence among nurses working in Level I Trauma Centers by interviewing emergency department nurses who have experienced violence during their shifts. | It approached a qualitative descriptive study with the perspectives of 8 registered nurses." | A+ | Emergency room nurses identified specific experiences of violence in the workplace. Inadequate security measures and vulnerability were two themes consistently raised throughout the interviews. Similarly, in this study, experiences following traumatic wound care highlighted issues of inadequate security measures and vulnerability. |
Tunç, H. (2023). Turkey | The purpose of this study is to draw insights from the experiences of nurses who volunteered in the earthquake-stricken areas following the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, aiming to understand how nurses can better prepare for disasters and contribute to the exploration of topics related to disaster nursing preparedness. | The study employed a qualitative research method, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with 9 nurses. | A+ | In this study, they struggled with a lack of coordination in traumatic care management and inadequate living conditions. The psychological challenges experienced by nurses, communication issues, working with different teams, and the importance of acting professionally were discussed based on experiences. |
Jabbour, R et al. 2021 Lebanon | Nurses' Stories from Beirut: Management of Care for Patients Affected by the Explosive Disaster of 2020, Amidst Pandemic and Economic Crises. | The study utilized a qualitative research method, with data collected through semi-structured interviews. Eight nurses participated in the study. | B+ | After the explosion, I worked in the emergency department of a city hospital in Beirut. We were called to duty during a major disaster, and now we are trying to cope with the aftermath. As nurses, we have faced many traumas in our country, which has been plagued by war and terrorism for decades. I can't comprehend how we managed wound care and management in the days and weeks following this tragedy. I don't know how we continued to care for the injured. I don't understand how we could listen to stories of horror, fear, disappointment, and sorrow repeatedly. In this study, they experienced such horror, fear, disappointment, and sorrow that they are not aware of how they provided wound care to trauma patients. |
Yang, Y. N., et al. 2010 Chinese | The aim is to provide insight into the response of Chinese nurses to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. This study solely investigated nurses' experiences in disaster site rescue; thus, the knowledge, skills, and qualities required in disaster nurses as revealed in this study may be partial. | A qualitative study conducted in collaboration with 10 nurses. | A+ | Their experiences reinforced the necessity for disaster nurses to work without adequate equipment and supplies. In such circumstances, they relied heavily on assessment skills, clinical judgment, and expert knowledge of injuries and infections in disaster settings. They needed to be flexible, take initiative, and be creative when routine practices were not possible. Without formal training, nurses expressed that they were not adequately prepared to function particularly productively, effectively, collaboratively, and with less stress in disaster relief efforts. They noted that routine practices were not feasible in traumatic wound care, and they had to rely on their initiative and expertise to tend to the injured. |
Scott A, et al 2023 ABD | To identify the factors influencing professional staff decisions and the implementation skills of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) in a Level I Emergency Department trauma center. | The qualitative research study consisted of semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys. There were 4 nurses, 7 doctors, and other participants. | A+ | Although they provided excellent care to patients experiencing acute physical trauma, many shared that they could better attend to patients with a history of trauma, including those often stigmatized such as obesity, substance use disorder, mental health issues, and non-English speakers. Participants identified opportunities to improve care for patients with trauma histories, including staff training, spending more time with patients, and efforts to reduce bias against patients. This study revealed that while they provided excellent care for acute traumatic wound care, they did not provide excellent care for individuals with obesity, substance use disorders, psychological issues, and non-English speakers. |
Lu, H. J.,et al 2020 Taiwan | Researching healthcare professionals' experiences in utilizing comprehensive care to improve outcomes for patients with traumatic injuries. | A qualitative study with 28 healthcare professionals | A+ | Some participants mentioned that the majority of their patients expressed concerns about the condition of their wounds and wound healing. Despite providing instructions on wound care to patients in hospitals, patients generally had issues with wound care. Some patients were unable to properly care for their wounds and called the hospital for assistance or returned to the nurse station. Collaboration appears to have a positive impact on post-injury care. Trauma case management indicates the necessity of a coordinated process in providing comprehensive wound care following a traumatic injury. |