Jordan Martinez — Wrist Laceration: 24yo Male · Emergency Medicine · Wrist Laceration

Abstract

The case of Jordan Martinez involves a 24-year-old male presenting with a wrist laceration in an emergency department setting, designed for learners in emergency medicine. The primary learning objectives are to enable students to demonstrate therapeutic communication strategies with distressed patients, perform mental status assessments including suicide risk screening, and identify nurse priorities for maintaining environmental safety during patient care. The clinical scenario presents Jordan with a 3.5-inch horizontal laceration on his left wrist, reportedly from falling through a window, though the injury is inconsistent with such a mechanism. He appears anxious and evasive, providing minimal eye contact and terse answers, with a background of limited social support and family history of mental health issues. Students are tasked with engaging Jordan in a supportive conversation to explore his emotional well-being and assess for suicide risk, using empathy and genuine concern to encourage disclosure. This case is useful in a curriculum for teaching foundational skills in therapeutic communication and safety assessment, aligning with competencies in person-centered care and professionalism.