Trauma Centers Research Paper

The term “Psychological trauma” refers to damage wrought from a traumatic event, which that damages one’s ability to cope with stressors. “Trauma” is commonly defined as an exposure to a situation in which a person is confronted with an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to self or others’ physical well-being (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Specific types of client trauma frequently encountered by which therapists and other mental health workers frequently encounter in a clinical setting include sexual abuse, physical , or sexual assault, natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis, domestic violence, and school or/and work related violence (James & Gilliland, 2001). Traumatic…show more content…Trauma Centers Research Paper

Van der Kolk (1987) notes that human responses to trauma are relatively constant across various types of traumatic stimuli, where individuals have poor tolerance to arousal stimuli and may experience social and emotional withdrawal. These changes in the body’s arousal and perception prevent the continuance of “normal” life, and require help.Trauma Centers Research Paper Traumatic events also produce profound and lasting changes in physiological arousal, emotion, cognition, and memory. Moreover, traumatic events may result in the severance of these normally integrated functions from one another. Traumatized individuals may also suffer from the memories of the tragic or horrifying experiences they have undergone. Frequently, as a result of these many symptoms, it becomes inevitable for the individual to develop certain complications associated with trauma-related disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Herman (1992) categorizes the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder into three major categories: hyperarousal, intrusion, and constriction. She describes hyperarousal as the “persistent expectation of danger,” intrusion as the “indelible imprint of the traumatic moment,” and constriction as the “numbing response of surrender” (Herman, 1992, p. 35).Advanced Practice Nursing has always been my goal in furthering my education to the highest level, even before I started nursing school. Everything I have done since my first day of nursing school has been a step toward that goal.Trauma Centers Research Paper Immediately after graduation I was privileged to accept a position in the Hillcrest Medical Center Trauma/Burn ICU, the largest burn center in Tulsa. Working with these patients and the dedicated staff has solidified my desire to be a Nurse Anesthetist. The Hillcrest Medical Center Trauma/Burn ICU is a 16-bed unit where we care for the most critical type of patients presenting a wide variety of complications such as impaired airway, hypovolemia and sepsis. We also receive a great many overflow patients with a myriad of serious medical conditions.

Permalink: https://nursingpaperessays.com/trauma-centers-research-paper/

The Burn ICU patients are generally on differing varieties of intravenous fluids that require continuous monitoring of vital signs, lab values, and physical assessments. Caring for these patients has prepared me for any crisis, taught me to expect the unexpected, and to always be one step ahead. I love working as a team player when the need is there, but I also don’t mind being independent when more autonomy is allowed. In the Burn ICU, most of our patients are on ventilators requiring constant monitoring and rapid response to alarms and patient health changes. I have learned the importance of walking into a room and assessing the patient before looking at the monitor.Trauma Centers Research Paper