Caring for the adolescent trauma patient in the adult critical care setting.

Critical care nurses in the community hospital setting are often faced with the challenge of providing care for adolescents in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Developmental aspects specific to this age group, the stress of critical illness, and staff unfamiliarity with "non-adult" patients contribute to a challenging environment of care. Training that focuses on these issues can help nurses develop an awareness of developmental tasks as they relate to perceptions about illness, injury, and recovery. Education, experience, and planning based on a nursing model of care will help to optimize care of this patient population. The concepts of the Roy Adaptation Model can guide a holistic approach to assessment by providing a framework to understand the various modes of coping used by patients during the process of adaptation.