Exam Prep Flashcards
Define kinematics
The process of looking at the MOI at an accident to determine what injuries are likely to have resulted from the forces and motion and changes in the motions involved; the science of motion.
List the 5 origins of energy.
Motion, Chemical, Electrical, Thermal, Radiation
What are Newtons laws of motion?
- An object at rest or in motion will remain at rest or in motion unless acted upon by an external force
- Every action has an opposite and equal reaction
- Force = mass x acceleration
What is the law energy conservation?
Energy can neither be created nor destroy, it can only change form
What is the law of moving objects?
Kinematic energy (E) = ½ Mass x Velocity2
What populations are more at risk of sustaining trauma injuries?
Those who:
Live remotely
Are in a lower socioeconomic position
Aboriginals & Torres Strait Islander people
are elderly
Men
What are the main causes of injuries resulting in hospitalisation?
Falls (42%)
Inanimate mechanical forces (14%)
MVA (12%)
What is a public health measure that lowers the rate of trauma?
Seat belts
Road safety education
Airbags
Helmets
Drink driving (booze bus)
Speed limits
What components make up the comprehensive trauma system?
Injury prevention
Prehospital care
Acute care facilities (major trauma centres)
Post hospital care (rehabilitation)
What percentage of trauma injuries occur in men?
70%
What 5 actions cause blunt force trauma?
Acceleration
Deceleration
Compression
Shearing
Direct forces
What are the 2 most common forces that result in blunt trauma?
Acceleration and deceleration.
What percentage of all major trauma in Australia is blunt?
95%
What are the 3 common patterns of injury as a result of falls
Don Juan Fracture
Outstretched hands
Head first
What is a Don Juan fracture and when do you see it?
A calcaneus fracture within the foot from landing on the heels after falling from height or direct force through a flexed ankle joint. This is commonly seen in motor vehicle accidents from the body weight being forced down into the flexed foot on the pedal and knees hitting the dash resulting in bone collision.
What are the phases of MVA?
- The vehicle impacts on another object
- The vehicle occupant decelerates, impacting against protective structures and the vehicle
- The internal structures of the occupant move forward until hitting another structure
What are the angles of impact in a MVA?
- Frontal, Rear, Side impact
- Down and under or Up and over
- Rotational impact
- Rollover
- Ejection.
What are the pedestrian vs MV phases for an adult?
- Initial impact of car bumper into pedestrians lower limbs and pelvis.
- Torso hits the hood of the car and possibly windshield.
- Pedestrian falls off vehicle onto the ground, typically striking their head first.
What factors impact the pattern of injury in a pedestrian vs MV?
Nature of the impact
Vehicle size and speed
Height and age of the pedestrian
What is Waddell’s triad?
The injury pattern for pedestrian (child) vs MV.
- Initial impact occurs on the legs (femur) or pelvis
- Second impact when bonnet impacts into the child’s thorax
- The third impact occurs when the child is thrown downward striking head on the ground
What are compression injuries?
Results from an organ or structure (or part of) being directly squeezed between other organs or structures.
What are the first phase blast injuries?
Explosion of air filled organs and cavities
Eardrums & middle ears rupture
Abdominal haemorrhage and perforation
What are the third phase injuries associated to blasts?
Fractures and Traumatic amputations
Closed and open brain injuries
Blunt and crush injuries
What are the fourth phase injuries from blasts?
Burns
Injury or incapacitation from inhaled toxic gases
What are the second phase injuries from blasts?
Penetrating ballistic or blunt injuries
Eye penetration
What non-physical injuries are associated to blasts?
- Psychological trauma
- PTSD
What are the 4 types of shock?
- Hypovolemic
- Cardiogenic
- Obstructive
- Distributive
Define hypovolemic shock
Circulatory failure due to intravascular fluid loss
Define cardiogenic shock
pump failure, due to a problem with myocardial contractility, heart rate or rhythm or valvular apparatus
Define obstructive shock
Shock resulting from any impedance to the flow in any major vessels
Define distributive shock
Shock resulting from a loss of vasomotor tone in the arterioles and the venules resulting in drop of pressure.
Name 3 conditions that may result in obstructive shock
- Tension pneumothorax
- Pericardial tamponade
- Compression of the vena cava
- Thromboembolism in the pulmonary artery
- Aortic dissection
Name 3 conditions that may result in cardiogenic shock
- MI
- Myocardial contusion (impact from steering wheel)
- Acute dysrhythmia compromising cardiac output
Name 3 conditions that may result in distributive shock
- sepsis
- anaphylaxis
- burns
- pancreatitis
- neurogenic shock
Name 3 conditions that may result in hypovolemic shock
- Amputation (hemorrhage)
- Pelvic fracture (hemorrhage)
- Excessive vomiting
- Excessive diarrhea
- Excessive sweating
What are the three haemorrhage classifications?
Capillary:
Slow, even flow
Bright red
Venous:
Steady, slow flow
Dark red
Arterial:
Spurting blood
Pulsating flow
Bright red
What blood pressure are you wanting in a haemorrhagic shock patient?
Systolic of 70-80mmHg
(permissive hypotension)
Name 5 physiological changes you see in pregnant patients
- Expanded blood volume
- Physiological anaemia
- Increased O2 consumption
- Decreased functional residual capacity of lungs
- Supine position causing reduced venous return to the heart
- Increased gastric contents and acidity
- Delayed gastric emptying with increased risk of aspiration into lungs
What are physiological treatment considerations for bariatric patients?
- Metabolic and cardiac demands higher
- High risk for thromboembolism
- Increased cardiac output & stroke volume
- Poor vascular access
- Injuries less obvious injuries due to adipose tissue
What mechanical challenges would you as a paramedic face treating and assessing bariatric trauma patients?
- May be unable to palpate pulses due to excess adipose tissue
- skin folds may mask penetrating injuries
- difficult to auscultate and detect pneumothorax
- difficult to assess for abdominal or bone tenderness
- masses/ deformities difficult to palpate
- use of inappropriate BP cuff size difficulty performing log roll
What are the five functions of the skin that may be impacted by burns
- Thermoregulation
- Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
- Immune response
- Protection from bacterial invasion
- Neurosensory interface
What are the 3 zones of a burn as per Jackson’s model?
Zone of coagulation
- Inner most zone of the wound
- maximum tissue damage
- coagulation, necrosis & absence of blood flow
Zone of stasis
- Middle zone
- Damaged but damage is reversible if treated appropriately
Zone of hyperaemia
- Outer most zone of a burn
- least amount of damage
- intact circulation
Which of the following is a common mechanism of traumatic brain injury?
a) Blunt force
b) Heat exposure
c) Chemical exposure
d) Electrocution
A) Blunt force
What is the primary cause of traumatic brain injuries in motor vehicle accidents?
Blunt force impact
Name three signs and symptoms of a moderate traumatic brain injury.
- Persistent headache
- Altered vision
- Slurred speech
- Vomiting
- Enlargement of pupils
- Unequal pupils
- LOC
- Confusion
- Altered GCS
True or False: A tension pneumothorax occurs when air accumulates in the pleural space, causing lung collapse.
True
Fill in the Blank: Burns caused by hot liquids are classified as ______ burns.
Thermal or scalds
Which of the following is NOT a common sign of a tension pneumothorax?
a) Cyanosis
b) Subcutaneous emphysema
c) Tachypnea
d) Bradycardia
d) Bradycardia
Name four potential causes of chest trauma.
Blunt force trauma,
penetrating trauma,
Compression/crush injuries,
blast injuries
True or False: A full-thickness burn involves damage to both the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin.
True
Fill in the Blank: The presence of crepitus indicates ______ in a chest injury.
Fractures - Flail chest
Explain the concept of the “golden hour” in the context of trauma management.
The golden hour refers to the critical period of one hour following a traumatic injury when prompt medical treatment has the highest chance of saving a person’s life.
Which type of traumatic brain injury involves a rotational force causing tearing of brain tissue?
a) Concussion
b) Contusion
c) Diffuse axonal injury
d) Hemorrhage
C) Diffuse axonal injury