Care of the trauma patient beyond the emergency department: a patient care standard to guide bedside nurses.

Injuries sustained from illicit drug use or alcohol intoxication are common in emergency departments. Ongoing assessments of psychosocial issues in trauma patients are imperative, even after the patient leaves the specialized area of the emergency department. Oftentimes, bedside nurses are ill prepared to identify the subtle clues of deeper psychosocial issues in complex patients such as trauma patients. This article focuses on the rationale for the development of a patient care standard to guide the bedside staff nurse in the care of the trauma patient. An example of a multiple trauma diagnosis-related patient care standard is presented.