Emergency thoracotomy. Care of the patient in the OR: a case study.

As an OR staff nurse at Cook County Hospital, some of my most challenging and rewarding nursing experiences have come from caring for emergency open-chest trauma patients. From the moment we receive a call that an open-chest patient is on the way, everyone assigned is in a high state of tension. Every decision takes on exaggerated importance. The circulating nurse, by virtue of his or her position during an emergency, is the "hub of the wheel" of activity. He or she is privy to all facets of care that are being administered to the patient. The nursing challenge of the emergency open-chest trauma is great, but it is not an impossible task.