Traumatic Brain Injuries Sustained in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars

In Brief Because these injuries can go unrecognized, nurses stateside need to know how to recognize possible cases and how to help. Overview When traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs simultaneously with more obviously life-threatening wounds, it may go unrecognized. Civilians and military personnel working in or near combat zones are at risk for this injury. Blast-related and closed-head injuries, rather than penetrating injuries, constitute the majority of TBIs in this population. The authors describe the experiences of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center team at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, and present a composite case to illustrate the nurse's role in the assessment and care of the TBI patient. Clinicians at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center discuss screening and intervention for what's been called the “signature wound” of U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.