Trauma Overview

Learning objectives (15)

1. Define the terms mechanism of injury (MOI), blunt trauma, and penetrating trauma — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
2. Describe multisystem trauma and the special considerations that are required for patients who fit this category — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
3. Describe the five types of motor vehicle crashes, the injury patterns associated with each one, and how each relates to the index of suspicion of life-threatening injuries — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
4. Discuss primary, secondary, tertiary, and miscellaneous blast injuries and the anticipated damage each one will cause to the body — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
5. Discuss the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma classification of trauma centers — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 901); confirm wording in your course copy.
6. Discuss the effects of high-, medium-, and low-velocity penetrating trauma on the body and how an understanding of each type helps EMTs form an index of suspicion about unseen life — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
7. Discuss the special assessment considerations related to a trauma patient who has injuries in each of the following areas: head, neck and throat, chest, and abdomen — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
8. Discuss the three specific factors to consider during assessment of a patient who has been injured in a fall, plus additional considerations for pediatric and geriatric patients — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
9. Explain the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention field triage decision scheme as it relates to making an appropriate — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 901); confirm wording in your course copy.
10. Explain the major components of trauma patient assessment; include considerations related to whether the MOI was significant or nonsignificant — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
11. Explain the relationship of the MOI to potential energy, kinetic energy, and work — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
12. Explain trauma patient management in relation to scene time and transport selection — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
13. List the criteria for the appropriate use of helicopter emergency medical services — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
14. Provide a general overview of multisystem trauma patient management — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.
15. Provide examples of the MOI that would cause blunt and penetrating trauma to occur — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 900); confirm wording in your course copy.

Vocabulary (12)

Mechanism of injury (MOI)

The force or event that caused a patient's injuries; used to anticipate the patterns and severity of trauma.

Kinematics

The study of how energy is transferred from one object to another — applied to predicting injury patterns in trauma.

Blunt trauma

Injury caused by force that does not penetrate the skin — e.g., motor-vehicle collisions, falls, assault with blunt objects.

Penetrating trauma

Injury caused by an object that breaks the skin and enters tissue — e.g., gunshot or stab wounds.

Golden Period

The first hour after major trauma during which definitive surgical care most strongly improves outcomes.

Platinum 10 minutes

The first 10 minutes of EMS patient contact in major trauma — the window during which critical interventions and packaging should be done.

Newton's first law of motion

A body in motion stays in motion until acted on by another force — explains why occupants continue forward in a sudden vehicle deceleration.

Cavitation

Tissue displacement and damage along the path of a projectile, extending beyond the visible wound track.

Trauma center

A hospital with specialized resources for severely injured patients, designated Level I (highest capability) through Level V.

Triage

Sorting patients by severity and likelihood of benefit to allocate care when resources are limited.

Index of suspicion

Clinical anticipation of specific injuries based on mechanism, even when external signs are limited.

Field triage criteria

Evidence-based decision scheme used by EMS to determine which trauma patients should be transported to a trauma center.

Sequence practice (2 puzzles on Quiz Me)

Quick fire sample (12 of 12 on Quiz Me)