Care of the Orthopaedic Trauma Patient

The perianesthesia nursing care of the orthopaedic trauma patient focuses on injuries of the musculoskeletal system and the associated muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Multitrauma patients often sustain more than one musculoskeletal injury at the time of the traumatic event. Early stabilization, astute nursing assessments, and interventions are imperative to the patient’s functional outcome and rehabilitation. Knowing the mechanism of injury is essential to understanding and caring for musculoskeletal trauma injuries. Because patients with traumatic orthopaedic injuries are at a higher risk for wound infections, it is important for perianesthesia nurses to initiate careful infection control practices. Recognizing significant orthopaedic trauma complications that include compartment syndrome, fat embolism syndrome, and hypovolemic shock is vital for saving the life or limb of the patient.