title: Initial assessment and management of a patient with a gunshot wound to the femur.
abstract: As the number of violent crimes rise, the likelihood increases that the nurse will be faced with patients presenting with gunshot injuries. These wounds pose a significant challenge to the nurse working in the acute care setting. Unlike other penetrating trauma, gunshot wounds produce a myriad of associated injuries related to the mechanism of injury. Nurses must be aware of the specific trauma associated with these wounds to assess and manage the victim in an organized and systematic fashion.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petrec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000379:methods; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications*