Immobilization of trauma patients and in-hospital clinical progression.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between the immobilization of trauma patients, considering the presence or absence of injury, and in-hospital clinical progression. METHOD: A prospective cohort study analyzing trauma patients aged ≥18 who received pre-hospital care and were admitted to a hospital in Acre, Brazil, between September and December 2023. The variables were organized into epidemiological, clinical, care-related, and outcome dimensions. The comparison between the groups (with and without injury) was performed using inferential analysis, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Immobilized patients with injuries presented greater care complexity, requiring interventions, diagnostic tests, and referrals to specialized units, in addition to longer hospital stays and higher frequency of unfavorable outcomes, such as death. Significant inadequacies were found in immobilization practices, characterized by their application to patients without injury, indicating inconsistencies in clinical decision-making. CONCLUSION: Immobilization has been associated with greater complexity of care, but its inadequacy reinforces the need to reorient care practices based on scientific evidence.