Introduction: Compartment syndrome is a condition caused by increased pressure within a closed osteofascial compartment, putting organs and tissues in that compartment at risk. The main factor negatively affecting treatment is the delay in initial identification and diagnosis. Ischemic injuries to the entrapped tissues occur within a few hours after the development of the compartment syndrome. Nurses usually spend the most time with patients at increased risk to develop compartment syndrome, so they play an important role in its identification. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine nursing care of a trauma patient with compartment syndrome, based on a review of literature and existing research. Methods: Literature was collected through remote access to the Digital Library in Ljubljana (DiKUL) and the Cooperative Online Bibliographic System (COBISS.SI), as well as the use of the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL and ScienceDirect. Peer-reviewed articles published between the years 2000 and 2022 and freely available in full were used. In total, 29 articles were included in the literature review. The literature used was written in Slovenian or English. Results: We found that a good treatment result can only be achieved with early identification and treatment of the disease. Delayed identification leads not only to severe local complications coupled with permanent disability, but also to life-threatening systemic complications. Nurses must be quick in recognizing signs and symptoms consistent with this condition. In addition, neurovascular assessment and measurement of intracompartmental pressure are often required to monitor progression. Nurses are also responsible for administering medications as ordered by the doctor, assist during fasciotomy as required and perform pre- and post-operative monitoring of the patient's condition. Discussion and conclusion: Nurses can help prevent the deterioration of the patient's condition due to compartment syndrome. They must be qualified to identify this condition early and to properly provide information. Thus, they would be able to identify the disease as efficiently as possible, which would significantly improve patient care. The delay in diagnosis and treatment leads to a prolonged period of insufficient blood supply to the tissues and, consequently, to a worse outcome for the patient.
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