Question

A nurse is taking care of several patients who were injured as a result of a pipe bomb explosion. The current patient has ruptured eardrums and traumatic injuries to his lower extremities due to flying debris. How does the nurse document these injuries?

1. Primary
2. Secondary
3. Primary and tertiary
4. Primary and secondary

Answer 1

Injuries from a pipe bomb explosion such as ruptured eardrums and lower extremity trauma are documented as primary and secondary injuries. Primary injuries result directly from the blast itself, while secondary injuries are a consequence of the surrounding environment following the blast.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to how a nurse should document the injuries sustained by a patient who was involved in a pipe bomb explosion, presenting with ruptured eardrums and traumatic injuries to his lower extremities. The correct way to document these injuries would be as primary and secondary injuries. The ruptured eardrums are likely a direct result from the blast wave of the explosion and are therefore a primary injury. The traumatic injuries to the lower extremities from flying debris are a result of the explosion’s aftermath, which makes them secondary injuries. The categorization of injuries as primary, secondary, tertiary, or even quaternary, helps differentiate between the various mechanisms of injury in a traumatic event and assists with prioritization and management of care.