IT’S TRAUMA TUESDAY is

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For nurses and other clinicians practicing anywhere

along the trauma care spectrum

Take a quick test of your trauma care knowledge

Article of the Week

The Dreaded Crush Injury Syndrome

This review highlights crush injury syndrome as a critical, often fatal condition that trauma nurses may encounter following limb compression events, prolonged entrapment, and in disaster situations. The authors emphasize that early, aggressive fluid resuscitation--ideally begun before extrication--is the most important intervention to reduce the risk of kidney failure and death.

For bedside nurses, recognizing complications such as hyperkalemia is essential because it can quickly lead to life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias. The article addresses ongoing debates about interventions such as fasciotomies and tourniquets, and introduces emerging therapies, including hyperbaric oxygen and new medications aimed at reducing inflammation and tissue damage.

Click the link to view the article or watch a short AI-generated article summary (4 min 28 sec).

Usuda D, Shimozawa S, Takami H, et al. Crush syndrome: a review for prehospital providers and emergency clinicians. J Transl Med. 2023;21(1):584. doi: 10.1186/s12967-023-04416-9

Trauma Happenings

Do Helmet Laws Really Make a Difference?

Repealing universal motorcycle helmet laws is associated with increased injury severity and 26% higher healthcare costs—trends that directly affect trauma care. 

After Michigan repealed its helmet law (in 2012), patients involved in motorcycle crashes required more intensive and costly hospital care, reflecting an uptick in serious injuries, particularly head trauma. This translates into higher-acuity patients, increasingly frequent ICU admissions, complex neurologic injuries, and longer recovery times. 

Read more in this article from Healthday.com.

PECCs and PCAR for Pediatric Readiness

Hospitals that meet national pediatric readiness standards have been shown to reduce mortality risk for children in the emergency department by up to 76%—but how prepared is YOUR team? A key first step is to complete the 2026 National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) Assessment, which identifies care gaps and defines critical roles in the ED, including the Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC).

The Pediatric Care After Resuscitation (PCAR) course is a valuable educational resource that helps PECCs fulfill this role. Designed to strengthen knowledge across the pediatric trauma care continuum—from prehospital through rehabilitation—PCAR equips PECCs with the insights needed to guide education, clinical competencies, and quality initiatives within their departments. 

With comprehensive content on fluid management, delayed injury presentation, sepsis and organ failure, compartment syndrome, pain management, and more, PCAR is a practical, readily available tool for advancing pediatric readiness and supporting PECC professional development.

Hold the tissue, NOT the sneeze!

In this unique patient report from MedPage Today, a sneeze (or rather, HOLDING IN a sneeze) caused pneumocephaly and a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak into the skull of a woman with no history of trauma or surgery.

Read more about this interesting case at the link below. And next time you need to sneeze, just let it go!

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