Nursing assessment of blunt cardiac trauma.
Cardiac injuries due to blunt trauma are common and contribute to the overall mortality of the trauma victim. Such injuries may be difficult to detect, and the clinician must maintain a high degree of suspicion for their presence. Clinical findings are nonspecific, but the nurse should focus on assessing the adequacy of cardiac output and tissue perfusion. Initial management of the patient with blunt cardiac trauma is the same as for any trauma patient: stabilization of airway, breathing, and circulation. Intravascular volume replacement is an important aspect of the resuscitation. Injuries such as aortic transection or ventricular rupture lead to exsanguination and the need for rapid infusion of large volumes of blood. On the other hand, cardiac function may be severely depressed with myocardial contusion and septal or valvular rupture; volume replacement must proceed cautiously.