Chapter 3 innovations in the en route care of combat casualties

Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2014:32:41-62. doi: 10.1891/0739-6686.32.41.

Abstract

The en route care environment is dynamic and requires constant innovation to ensure appropriate nursing care for combat casualties. Building on experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, there have been tremendous innovations in the process of transporting patients, including the movement of patients with spinal injuries. Advances have also been made in pain management and noninvasive monitoring, particularly for trauma and surgical patients requiring close monitoring of their hemodynamic and perfusion status. In addition to institutionalizing these innovations, future efforts are needed to eliminate secondary insults to patients with traumatic brain injuries and technologies to provide closed-loop sedation and ventilation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Afghan Campaign 2001-
  • Afghanistan
  • Critical Care / methods*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Humans
  • Iraq
  • Iraq War, 2003-2011
  • Military Nursing / organization & administration*
  • Military Personnel
  • Organizational Innovation
  • Transportation of Patients / organization & administration*
  • United States
  • Wounds and Injuries / diagnosis*
  • Wounds and Injuries / nursing*