Accurate injury documentation is a core forensic nursing skill. Understanding wound healing helps interpret injury patterns.
Stages of Wound Healing
| Stage | Timeframe | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Hemostasis | Immediate | Blood vessel constriction; clot formation |
| Inflammation | 0-4 days | Redness, warmth, swelling, pain; immune cells remove debris |
| Proliferation | 4-21 days | New tissue formation; granulation tissue; wound contraction |
| Remodeling | 21 days – 2 years | Scar formation and maturation; tissue strengthening |
Injury Documentation Principles
📋 Document Every Injury With:
- Location (anatomical terms and body diagram)
- Size (measured in centimeters)
- Shape and pattern
- Color (describe, don’t interpret age)
- Characteristics (edges, depth, surrounding tissue)
- Patient’s description of how injury occurred
⚠️ Caution: Aging Injuries
Research shows bruise color is NOT a reliable indicator of injury age. Do not document estimated age based on color. Instead, describe the actual colors observed and document when the patient reports the injury occurred.