How have major wars helped to develop critical care nursing?

If there is a positive side to war, it does speed up the development of new technologies in trauma care.  My nephew was recently seriously wounded in battle in Afghanistan.  His injuries, including the complete loss of his right lung were life-threatening.  He was transported to a German Hospital using a portable device similar to a "heart-lung" machine.  It was the first time this type of device was used in battle and the U.S. trauma team trained with the German doctors who developed the device.  The hope is that it now can be used at home to transport others with similar injuries.  This is just one example.  We also learned a great deal of information about the cause and treatment of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) from injured soldiers in the Viet Nam war.  ARDS is a seious lung problem that can be caused from, trauma, shock or infection.

They say "necessity is the mother of invention". Throughout history with the advent of each war "nurses" were recruited to administer care to wounded soldiers. Unfortunately in a war there are usually trauma victims who are in need of emergency  medical care "in the field" and then require immediate follow-up care in a critical care setting. These nurses monitor their patients closely and must be knowledgeable about the body's response to trauma and emergency procedures and medications. Nurses in critical care strive to become competent nurse practitioners who can meet the needs of their patients. Additionally, with each passing year new types of weapons are being used and nurses must be prepared to address the unique challenges that affect victims injured during a war.

Trauma victims from major wars have influenced the development of critical care nursing.

Major wars have shaped methods of nursing care delivery. The functional method of delivering nursing care (assigning care by task) evolved primarily as a result of World War II and the rapid construction of hospitals as a result of the Hill Burton Act. Because nurses were in great demand overseas and at home, a nursing shortage developed at home and ancillary personnel were needed to assist in patient care. These relatively unskilled workers were trained to do simple tasks and gained proficiency by repetition. Personnel were assigned to complete certain tasks rather than care for specific patients. Examples of functional nursing tasks were checking blood pressures, administering medication, changing linens, and bathing patients. RNs became managers of care rather than direct care providers, and “care through others” became the phrase used to refer to this method of nursing care.

The functional form of organizing patient care was thought to be temporary, as it was assumed that when the war ended, hospitals would not need ancillary workers. However, the baby boom and resulting population growth immediately following World War II left the country short of nurses. Thus, employment of personnel with various levels of skill and education proliferated as new categories of health care workers were created. Currently, most health care organizations continue to employ health care workers of many educational backgrounds and skill levels. 

During world war II in London, victims of bomb blasts were saved only to succumb a while later from multi-organ failure. Studying this response lead to understanding tissue and muscle damage. The release of toxins from damaged muscles destroy the liver and kidney and other organs.

Rhabdomyolosis is the syndrome of organ damaged caused by these toxins. Understanding these effects have helped in the development of lab tests to recognize when muscle damage has occurred. The heart is a muscle. When people have a heart attack or myocardial infarction, these toxins are released and can be measured by certain lab tests. That is why a series of labs are drawn in the ER to rule out myocardial infarction.