Louisville Medicine Volume 66, Issue 3 | Page 14

VIOLENCE (continued from page 11) due to either gunshot wounds or stabbings. Many of the violent crime patients end up with a tracheostomy and work with our pulmonary therapists to be able to have it removed. Some patients do go home with a tracheostomy and the family has to be educated on the management. Our nursing staff of course works around the clock to take care of the multiple needs of patients. As many of the patients are under an alias and have restrictions on visitors, they have to also moni- tor that in conjunction with the medical needs of the patient. The nurses provide the front line care and deal with many challenging family situations. With this patient population, some of the hardest challenges are faced by our psychologists and discharge planners. Our goal is to return the patient home to a safe environment. Sometimes that is not a guaranteed option. We would like to have family that will come in and train to learn how to manage their needs. These pa-