When the trauma patient is elderly

Each year thousands of older adults will suffer trauma injuries. Geriatric patients who sustain serious injuries are at risk for increased morbidity and mortality. Preexisting medical conditions can dramatically impact every aspect of care in older patients. As a direct response to the stress of injury, reserve functioning can be put to the test. Vital signs may initially appear normal. However, compensatory mechanisms in older individuals may not be predictable in response to physiological needs. Perianesthesia nurses caring for older trauma patients should be familiar with the anatomical and physiological changes of aging, and have an awareness of the original mechanism of injury, coupled with the surgical procedure and anesthesia agents. Astute nursing assessments using critical thinking skills, together with effective nursing interventions, provide the framework for understanding and managing geriatric trauma patients in the perianesthesia care continuum.