Critical care nursing in an austere environment.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this article is to present an overview of critical care nursing in current battlefield healthcare environments. The various levels of tactical combat casualty care are described with emphasis on those levels in which military critical care nurses are practicing.


RESULTS
Results of a critical care medical record review is presented to describe mechanism of injury, critical care diagnoses, length of stay, ventilator days, procedures, and complications.


CONCLUSIONS
A vast knowledge of various critical care and trauma processes as well as a wide variety of nursing skills are required to provide appropriate care for these casualties. Critical care nursing competencies, cognitive and skill-focused, required to practice in this environment are described.
Smith
Kimberly K
KK
U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA. kimberly.k.smith@amedd.army.mil
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000458:organization & administration; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008888:Military Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000458:organization & administration; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*