Trends and Issues in Trauma Nursing Studies Based on a Review of Japanese Literature

Abstract

Traumatic injuries are generally urgent and severe, as they may cause death or （possibly permanent） disability. Nursing interventions save lives and help people return to society are important because they significantly impact the lives of patients and their families. In this paper, we searched Japanese literature on the subject of trauma nursing, and we organized our findings to clarify the research trends and practical characteristics of trauma nursing. To minimize preventable trauma deaths （PTDs）and help patients reintegrate into society, it is worth performing feature-based analysis of research issues and nursing strategies. In practice, a categorization of literature by age and by case clearly showed the highly individualized nature of trauma nursing. Key characteristics include the need to respond to sudden emergencies and make decisions about treatment. On this basis, we clarified the following issues : first, Japan Nursing for Trauma Evaluation and Care （JNTEC） offers guidelines for teams aiming to reduce PTD and has promoted new ideas in trauma nursing from a theoretical development and educational perspective. Research is still needed on nursing judgment, practice, and evaluation based on the guidelines for early trauma nursing such as long-term studies of the reintegration of patients into society. There are also calls for research to proceed to the next level where information gained about situational awareness and adaptation processes of trauma patients is used to validate the outcomes of patient nursing practice. Based on a conceptual analysis of terminology, it is necessary to define trauma nursing, accumulate and share relevant practical nursing knowledge of this rare type of nursing, explore the role of nursing in the mental and emotional wellbeing of patients after discharge, and address issues such as conflicts and dilemmas that arise from nursing experience.