Trauma and Triage Flashcards
Blunt Trauma Definition and associated forces
Can be less-obvious than penetrating
* Forces Associated:
* Shearing
* Acceleration and deceleration forces
* Compression force
The most common organs injured in penetrating trauma:
the small bowel (50%), large bowel (40%), liver (30%), and intra-abdominal vascular (25%).
When a penetrating trauma is in close range, there is more __________ than those injuries sustained from a distance
kinetic energy
Trimodal Distribution of Trauma Deaths
- 1st peak: within minutes of injury (on site)
- 2nd peak: within 2 hours of injury (in the ER)
- 3rd peak: within days to weeks after injury (in the IC/ward)
7 Points of the Trauma Nursing Process
- Preparation and triage
- General impression
- Primary survey (A–G) with the corresponding intervention as necessary
- Reevaluation (consideration of transfer/need for higher level of care)
- Secondary survey (H–I)
- Reevaluation (J) and post-resuscitation care
- Definitive care, transfer, or discharge
1st step of trauma nursing process:
Preparation and Triage
* Activate the trauma team
* Prepare for patient arrival
* PPE and safety
2nd step of trauma nursing process:
General impression - assessing for
1. Uncontrolled external hemorrhage?
2. Unresponsive
3. apnic?
3rd step of trauma nursing process:
Primary Survey + Corresponding Interventions
Finding the Biggest Issues: the A-G assessment
A: alertness and airway
B: breathing/ventilation
C: circulation/hemorrhage control
D: disability
E: exposure/environment
F: full set of vitals and family
G: get adjuncts and give comfort
If life-threatening conditions are identified during primary survey:
interventions are started immediately and before proceeding to the next step of the survey.
Primary Survey: A
Alertness and Airway
How do you assess alertness in primary survey?
AVPU
Alert
Verbal
Pain
Unresponsive
How do you assess airway in primary survey?
Vocalization
Also look for:
* Bony deformity
* Burns
* Edema
* Fluids (blood, vomit, or secretions)
* Foreign objects
* Inhalation injury (burns, singed facial hair, soot)
* Loose or missing teeth
* Sounds (snoring, gurgling, stridor)
* Tongue obstruction
Airway interventions
Repositioning
* Jaw-thrust maneuver or Head Life/Chin Tilt
Adjuncts Following Positioning:
* Oropharyngeal Airway (OPA)
* Nasopharyngeal Airway (NPA)
* Endotracheal tube (ETT)
How do you verify ETT placement
CO2 detector - yellow to purple
observe chest rise & fall
auscultate epigastrium (should not hear air)
bilat breath sounds (unilateral if entry into right stem)
What is capnography?
CO2 detector following ETT placement; allows for placement verification
B in primary survey
Breathing and ventilation
How do you assess breathing in primary survey
- Breath sounds (decreased, absent)
- Depth, pattern, rate
- Increased work of breathing
- Dyspnea
- Open wounds or deformities
- Skin color (pallor, cyanosis)
- Spontaneous breathing
- Subcutaneous emphysema
- Symmetrical chest rise and fall
- Tracheal deviation or JVD
If you can’t get past A and B in primary survey:
Intubate
C in primary survey
Circulation and Control of Hemorrhage
How to assess C in primary survey
- Inspect and palpate
* Color
* Temperature
* Moisture - Palpate a central pulse
- Control hemorrhage
Why palpate for a central pulse in primary survey
peripheral pulses may be absent because of injury or vasoconstriction
Central pulse examples
Carotid, femoral, brachial
D in primary survey
Disability/Neuro Status
What 4 things are assessed with disability in primary survey?
- GCS (eye, verbal motor)
- AVPU (alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive)
- Pupils
- Glucose
E in primary survey
Exposure and Environment Control
How do you assess E in primary survey?
Remove all clothing
* Inspect for injuries
Warming measures
* Blankets
* Increase room temperature
* Warmed IV fluids
* Warming lights
F in primary survey
- Obtain a full set of vital signs
- Facilitate family presence
G in Primary Survey
Get adjuncts and Give Comfort
Assessments/Interventions for G in primary survey
LMNOP
- L: Laboratory analysis
- M: Cardiac monitor; consider 12-lead ECG
- N: Consider naso- or orogastric tube for stomach decompression/decrease aspiration risk
- O: Oxygenation and capnography; consider weaning oxygen
- P: Assess pain using appropriate scale
- Consider analgesia
- Nonpharmacologic comfort
4th step of trauma nursing process
Reevaluation (consideration of transfer/need for higher level of care)
5th step of trauma nursing process
Secondary Survey
3 Components of Secondary Survey
- history
- head to toe
- inspect posterior and anticipate interventions
First component of secondary survey
History
S- signs and symptoms
A- allergies
M- medications
P- past medical history
L- last oral intake/menstrual period
E - event leading up
Second component of secondary survey
Head to toe assessment
* Focus:
* Manage the injuries
* Optimize respiratory and cardiac function
Third component of secondary survey
Inspect Posterior
* Unless contraindicated by known or suspected spine or pelvic injury
* Turn, inspect and palpate
* Remove backboard
and Anticipate Interventions
6th step of trauma nursing process
Keep re-evaluating VIPP
V - vitals
I - injuries and interventions
P - primary survey
P - pain
What is the Trauma Triad of Death?
- hypothermia
- coagulopathy
- acidosis
Treating _____ is key in the presence of hypovolemia in trauma
Hypothermia
Why is the treatment of hypothermia key in the presence of fluid loss?
Hypothermia:
* Inhibits platelet function
* Slows coagulation factor activation
* Body temp low, blood will flow
* Blood clots best at 37 degrees
Triage assigns priorities based on:
Resources
What is MEWS?
Modified Early warning system (MEWS)
A screening and scoring tool to identify hospitalized patients at risk for deterioration
What 6 things does MEWS assess?
- RR
- HR
- SBP
- LOC (AVPU)
- Temp
- Hourly urine for 2 hours