A descriptive study of moderately to severely injured patients' perceptions of nurses' caring behaviors was conducted at a level I trauma center. Seventy patients older than 18 years admitted through the trauma resuscitation unit were included. The participants were interviewed in their rooms/cubicles by the research team to complete the Caring Behaviors Inventory. The average rating for the sample was 4.8. Patients receiving care through trauma services expressed an overall positive perception of caring from the nursing staff while there was room for improvement in some areas.

This article describes a quality management process used to develop an evidence-based protocol for heat loss prevention in trauma patients. The quality management tool applied was the ADDIE process (Assess the problem, Determine the root cause, Design a solution, Implement the solution, and Evaluate the outcome). Use of this process required multiple applications and resulted in the identification of a multifactorial root cause. Ongoing changes and additions to the action plans were implemented.