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Hi Randy,
I am a flight coordinator for a rotor
wing service based in a large metropolitan
area. Our dispatch center is physically
located at the area's Level 1 trauma center.
When we dispatch a scene flight, the
trauma doctor is automatically notified
as well as the charge nurse in the ER.
When the aircraft is inbound to the
trauma center the Dr. as well as the
charge nurse are patched through to the aircraft
and they listen to the report. A
determination is made at this time, by the trauma
doctor,
based on the flight nurse's report,
whether or not
the patient will be
admitted as a
shock trauma pt (requiring activation
of the trauma team) or
will be admitted to the
Critical Care Assessment area. (the
area where non-critical trauma
trauma patients go) The determination
is made along the guidelines that are pretty standard
for all trauma centers in the
USA.
GCS < 13 w/+LOC
Systolic BP less than 90/ Geriatric Trauma
Pregnant Trauma
Airway compromise Any intubated
patient
Anatomic Criteria:
Penetrating injuries to the torso or
head.
Pulseless limb Burns or Electrocution involving the face or airway Uncontrolled
bleeding
Multiple extremity
fx's
Mechanism of Injury:
High speed MVA
Rollover MVA
Prolonged extrication Fatality within the same vehicle Ejection from vehicle Intrusion into the passenger compartment of vehicle by >12 inches Falls greater than 15ft. Mechanism alone would not be an
automatic
"Shock Trauma" pt. but usually
mechanism combined with any
of the above criteria would
be.
If the determination is made by the
Trauma doctor is made to admit the
pt. as a shock trauma pt. we then page
it overhead within the hospital
and on the trauma team's pagers as well
as notifying the blood bank and admissions.
I hope this
helps.
Fly safe!
Kathy Drawdy
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