Injury severity scoring systems: a review of application to practice

AIM: This study reviews the historical development of injury severity scoring systems and their application to clinical practice. BACKGROUND: A variety of injury severity scoring systems have been developed and applied since more than four decades. It is increasingly important for nurses to be familiar with these scoring systems, their strengths and weaknesses, and their applications to nursing practice. DESIGN: Systematic literature review. METHODS: The injury severity scoring systems developed from the 1970s to 2011 were identified via electronic database searches, footnote chasing and contact with clinical experts. The most frequently used scoring systems in the literature were classified according to the criteria used in each scoring system. CONCLUSIONS: All injury severity scoring systems are valuable but have certain problems. A universal scoring system applicable for various purposes appears difficult to achieve. However, the understanding and proper use of scoring systems will allow us to perform critical evaluations and continual refinement of trauma management. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: As nurses and researchers, it is critical that we should know the application of these injury severity scoring systems to ensure their quality and appropriate utilization.