Blunt-force trauma Blunt force trauma is defined as a traumatic event caused by the introduction of any blunt instrument forcefully, causing injury to the body or head. The Severity of injury is determined by various factors. It may be due to mechanical force such as compression, traction, torsion or shear. Impact of the injury and severity depends on object and movement of victim. Injuries occurred may be internal such as lacerations of internal tissues, organs, fractures of bones or may be external such as abrasion, avulsion, contusion and laceration (Pollak & Saukko, 2009). Severity also depends on anatomical site impacted for ex: Lacerations have irregular margin, hanging causes abrasions, contusions and hyoid bone fractures, Ocular hemorrhages in case of blunt trauma to eyes or Fracture of ribs when hit on chest by a blunt object (Ressel, Hetzel, & Ricci, 2016). Severity is also determined by the duration of time and amount of force applied. Nature of trauma is of importance in forensic medicine. It helps in …show more content…
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285) These types of injuries usually come from knives, axes, or other weapons like that. In some instances, a sharp trauma will look like a line across the bone. So, if someone is not trained in knowing what these marks are, they can be easily over looked. According to Byers (2011) “sharp trauma is the result of narrowly focused, dynamic compression forces applied to the surface of a bone.” (p. 285) Unlike blunt or projectile trauma, sharp force will be focused in a single area, unless the suspect us using an ax or machete there won’t be a large amount destruction to the bones. Using an ax or machete however can severely damage the bones that can look like blunt trauma. So, it is important for the forensic anthropologist to be able to distinguish between them.
Hockenberry, M., Wilson, D., Wong, D. (2013). Essentials of Pediatric Nursing. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Mosby.
2. Kirsch, Laura. “Diagnosis: DEATH.” Forensic Examiner 15.2 (2006): 52-54. Criminal Justice Periodicals. ProQuest. USF Mears Library, Sioux Falls, SD. 24 Apr. 2008 http://www.proquest.com/
It was a 92 degree fahrenheit morning at 9:45 on August 14th, when Doug Greene placed a call to 911. He informed the police that he was concerned because Anna had been seen wearing a sweater the previous day despite the unusual heat and wasn’t answering her calls or her door. Both the police and the EMT arrived at the crime scene at 9:56 am where they found Anna Garcia lying on the floor. They entered the crime scene and declared Anna dead. The crime scene was then secured at 10:20 am for investigation. The crime scene was confined to a 10’ by 20’ entry hallway. At the crime scene, investigators marked areas where vomit, blood stains, blood spatter, footprints, a strand of hair, scattered pills, a syringe, and dirty cup were lying on the floor. They also discovered fingerprints that could be taken to a lab for analyzation. Anna was found lying face-down against the floor surrounded by blood and vomit near her mouth. The table in the crime scene
Neonatal nursing is a field of nursing designed especially for both newborns and infants up to 28 days old. The term neonatal comes from neo, "new", and natal, "pertaining to birth or origin”. Neonatal nurses are a vital part of the neonatal care team. These are trained professionals who concentrate on ensuring that the newborn infants under their care are able to survive whatever potential life threatening event they encounter. They treat infants that are born with a variety of life threatening issues that include instances of prematurity, congenital birth defects, surgery related problems, cardiac malformations, severe burns, or acute infection. Neonatal care in hospitals was always done by the nursing staff but it did not officially become a specialized medical field until well into 1960s. This was due to the numerous advancements in both medical care training and related technology that allowed for the improved treatment and survival rate of premature babies. According to the March of Dimes, one of every thirteen babies born in the United States annually suffers from low birth weight. This is a leading cause in 65% of infant deaths. Therefore, nurses play a very important role in providing round the clock care for these infants, those born with birth defects or other life threatening illness. In addition, these nurses also tend to healthy babies while their mothers recover from the birthing process. Prior to the advent of this specialized nursing field at risk newborn infants were mostly cared for by obstetricians and midwives who had limited resources to help them survive (Meeks 3).
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Wound specimen vary from crime scene to crime scene such as; gunshot wound, stab wounds, defense wounds, rape wounds, blows from blunt objects, poisoning, strangulation, hanging, burns, explosions, electrocution, lightning, burning, hanging, and smothering, just to name a few. There are numerous classifications of wounds, most of which can let qualified investigators know more about the manner of death. Forensic pathologists' have the role in investigating medical examination of the body. They also assist investigation by relating the evidence to the autopsy findings. They will examine the wound, and tell if it was inflicted the wound and what instrument caused it. Pretty much all of the evidence that guide the examiner to consummate that the death was murder also allows for it to be sustainable evidence for the investigation and prosecuting the case; so that pathologists and investigators work closely together (Orthman-Hess, 2013).
The term forensic toxicology is defined as examination of all aspects of toxicity that may have legal implications (James & Nordby, 2009 p. 61). In the past, poisoning was one of the most popular forms of murder. There are countless natural substances in the world that when ingested into the body in high doses, can become lethal to the human body. What made this form of murder so famous is that most poisons mimic common medical diseases, leading physicians to believe a victim died of natural causes (Ramsland, n.d.). Aside from murder, this forensic discipline is also essential for determining accidental deaths and suicides.
Head injuries are very serious and dangerous. Some head injuries can cause neurological brain damage. They are commonly found in the sports world, putting athletes at risk. There are a lot of head injuries that are dangerous or could cause serious damage brain and in turn, the body. Because of this, precautions, rules, and guidelines need to be in place to prevent and treat these athletes. If these things are not put in place, it could mean the difference between life and death for these athletes. There are many different injuries that can occur to the head and face. Facial injuries can be very dangerous as it can concern the eyes nose and mouth.
How do concussions affect the human brain? In order to know what affects the concussions does to the brain, we must first know what exactly a concussion is. A concussion a concussion is described as a complex pathophysiological process that affects the brain in the act of severe head trauma. Think of the brain as the yoke inside an egg, if the egg is shaken, the yoke will be obscured. This is exactly what a concussion is like. A concussion affects the brain in several ways, including physical, emotional, and cognitive. There are also long-term effects like increased risk for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s (“Concussion Treatment”).
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President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. Defining Death: A Report on the Medical, Legal and Ethical Issues in the Determination of Death. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1981.
The wounds that are on the body of a homicide victim, can provide valuable insight as to the circumstances surrounding the homicide. For instance, the type of wound and its location can reveal to investigators what kind of weapon was used, and if the wound could have been self-inflicted. Let us take for example, a homicide victim with
In life, many things are taken for granted on a customary basis. For example, we wake up in the morning and routinely expect to see and hear from certain people. Most people live daily life with the unsighted notion that every important individual in their lives at the moment, will exist there tomorrow. However, in actuality, such is not the case. I too fell victim to the routine familiarity of expectation, until the day reality taught me otherwise.