Background:

Trauma is a public health issue with a significant social and economic impact. However, national data on its characterization and the role of nursing in its management is still scarce.

Objective:

To assess the effectiveness of prehospital nursing interventions in stabilizing trauma victims provided by nurses of Immediate Life Support Ambulances in Portugal.

Methodology:

Observational, prospective, and descriptive-correlational study. Data were collected by nurses of the Immediate Life Support Ambulances in mainland Portugal, from 01/03/2019 to 30/04/2020, and the Azores, from 01/10/2019 to 30/04/2020. Trauma severity indices were assessed before and after the nursing interventions.

Results:

This study included 606 cases (79.4% blunt trauma; 40.8% road accidents) reported by 171 nurses. Nurses performed mostly interventions for hemodynamic support (88.9%) and non-pharmacological pain control (90.6%) of trauma victims. The nursing interventions improved the Revised Trauma Score and the Shock Index (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

Prehospital nursing interventions improve trauma victims’ clinical status.

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