Assessment, monitoring and emergency nursing care in blunt chest injury: A case study

SummaryThe case study highlights several complications that commonly develop in trauma patients who sustain blunt chest injuries with underlying lung injury and discusses essential nursing assessment and care. Rib fractures are one of the most common injuries sustained from blunt chest trauma and frequently co-exist with underlying lung injury. Rib fractures alone are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The addition of underlying lung injury such as lung contusions increases the incidence of adverse outcomes. Emergency nursing care must involve thorough assessment and timely intervention with a particular focus on maximising respiratory function and reducing pain. This can be achieved by appropriate oxygen therapy, early chest physiotherapy and adequate analgesic strategies.