Evaluation of a Semi-Automated Ultrasound Guidance System for Central Vascular Access.

Hemorrhage remains a leading cause of death in both military and civilian trauma settings. Oftentimes, the control and treatment of hemorrhage requires central vascular access and well-trained medical personnel. Automated technology is being developed that can lower the skill threshold for life-saving interventions.

CE: Trauma-Related Hemorrhagic Shock: A Clinical Review.

Optimal management of trauma-related hemorrhagic shock begins at the point of injury and continues throughout all hospital settings. Several procedures developed on the battlefield to treat this condition have been adopted by civilian health care systems and are now used in a number of nonmilitary hospitals. Despite the important role nurses play in caring for patients with trauma-related hemorrhagic shock, much of the literature on this condition is directed toward paramedics and physicians.

Challenges Associated with Managing a Multicenter Clinical Trial in Severe Burns.

Managing multicenter clinical trials (MCTs) is demanding and complex. The Randomized controlled Evaluation of high-volume hemofiltration in adult burn patients with Septic shoCk and acUte kidnEy injury (RESCUE) trial was a prospective, MCT involving the impact of high-volume hemofiltration continuous renal replacement therapy on patients experiencing acute kidney injury and septic shock. Ten clinical burn centers from across the United States were recruited to enroll a target sample size of 120 subjects.

An Evidence-Based Approach to Precepting New Nurses.

While developing a standardized approach to orient new staff in the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, nurse leaders identified the need to also standardize preceptor selection and instruction.

Bridging burn care education with modern technology, an integration with high fidelity human patient simulation.

Objective: The Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) program is a burn-education curriculum nearly 30 years in the making, focusing on the unique challenges of the first 24h of care after burn injury. Our team applied high fidelity human patient simulation (HFHPS) to the established ABLS curriculum. Our hypothesis was that HFHPS would be a feasible, easily replicable, and valuable adjunct to the current curriculum that would enhance learner experience.

Analysis of Pediatric Trauma in Combat Zone to Inform High-Fidelity Simulation Predeployment Training.

Objectives: The military uses "just-in-time" training to refresh deploying medical personnel on skills necessary for medical and surgical care in the theater of operations. The burden of pediatric care at Role 2 facilities has yet to be characterized; pediatric predeployment training has been extremely limited and primarily informed by anecdotal experience. The goal of this analysis was to describe pediatric care at Role 2 facilities to enable data-driven development of high-fidelity simulation training and core knowledge concepts specific to the combat zone.

Follow-Up Evaluation of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Flow Sheet for En Route Care Documentation of Burned Combat Casualties.

Introduction: In 2006, burn clinical practice guidelines were developed to provide recommendations for optimal care of U.S. military and local national burn casualties.

Implementation and outcomes of an evidence-based precepting program for burn nurses.

Introduction: There is significant nationwide interest in transitioning new and new-to-specialty nurses into practice, especially in burn care. Lack of a structured transition program in our Burn Center was recognized as a contributing factor for nursing dissatisfaction and increased turnover compared to other hospital units. Employee evaluations exposed a need for more didactic instruction, hands-on learning, and preceptor support.

Bacterial Contamination of Burn Unit Employee Identity Cards.

The purpose of this study was to identify the presence or absence of pathogenic bacteria on burn intensive care unit employees' common access cards (CACs) and identity badges (IDs) and to identify possible variables that may increase risk for the presence of those bacteria. A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in our regional Burn Center in which bacterial swab specimens were collected from both the CAC and ID of 10 burn intensive care unit employees in each of five cohorts (nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, physicians, and ancillary staff). Ten additional paired samples, collected from direct care staff in the outpatient burn clinic, served as control.