Wound characteristics constitute evidence that may be obscured by emergency trauma care. Nurses must realize that their charting and documentation of wounds may be used as evidence in court. The information below will help identify the differences between wound patterns. Photography is the best way to document wound characteristics. It is important not to confuse a cut with a laceration.
Lacerations result from blunt force trauma.
Sharp force injuries are often subcategorized into stab wounds, which tend to be deep rather than long, and incisions, which are long rather than deep. It can be hard to categorize and interpret these injuries because of tissue compression at the time of injury, partial insertion of the wounding instrument, or movement of the wounding instrument caused by a perpetrator or a struggling victim. It's best to accurately document the wound by measuring and describing the injury. Sharp force injuries are generally differentiated from blunt force injuries by their clean appearance. They lack ragged edges, marginal abrasions, and nerves and vessels that bridge the wound.