Final answer:
In a terrorist attack involving explosive devices, the most likely type of damage caused by a crush injury is physical trauma. Crush injuries can lead to serious health conditions including compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis. Psychological trauma is also common in survivors of such traumatic events.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse caring for victims of a terrorist attack involving explosive devices is likely to encounter physical trauma from crush injuries. Crush injuries occur when extreme force or pressure is applied to a body part, often in situations such as explosions, where debris might fall on victims or they might be forcibly thrown against solid objects.
This type of injury can lead to serious conditions such as compartment syndrome, where increased pressure within muscle compartments causes a decrease in blood flow, and potentially life-threatening situations such as rhabdomyolysis, where the breakdown of muscle tissue releases a protein called myoglobin into the bloodstream.
In addition to the immediate physical harm, victims can also suffer from psychological trauma as a result of the violent events they have experienced. Psychological trauma might manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
It is less likely that the nurse would encounter chemical injury or radiation exposure in this scenario, unless the explosive devices contained chemical or radioactive materials. However, these would not typically be classified as crush injuries, but rather specific types of exposure depending on the nature of the contaminants involved.