Chest trauma.

For any patient with obvious or suspected chest trauma, one must first assure an adequate airway and adequate ventilation. One should never hesitate to administer oxygen to a victim with a chest injury. The nurse should be concerned with adequate circulation--this may mean the administration of intravenous fluids, specifically volume expanders, via large-bore cannulae. Any obvious open chest wound should be sealed, and any fractures should be splinted. These patients should be rapidly transported to the nearest Emergency Department capable of handling this type of injury. The majority of patients who arrive in the Emergency Department following blunt or penetrating trauma should be considered to be in critical condition until proven otherwise. On presentation, it is essential to recognize those signs, symptoms, and laboratory values that identify the patient's condition as life-threatening. Simple recognition of these signs and symptoms and early appropriate intervention may alter an otherwise fatal outcome.