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General Adult Trauma Principles and Triage
Questions and Answers
1
What is a traumatic injury?
A traumatic injury is a term that refers to physical injuries of sudden and onset severity. These injuries require immediate medical attention as they can sometimes be life-threatening. Trauma makes up a significant percentage of the calls to which prehospital personnel respond and is the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 1 and 44 years. After cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer, trauma makes up the fourth leading cause of death for all age groups.
2
What are the kinetics of trauma and why do they matter?
The kinetics of trauma are important because they can give indication and high index of suspicion for traumatic injuries. Kinetic energy = ½ (mass × velocity 2 ). The kinetic energy of a moving body depends on the weight and the speed of the body. Essentially, the heavier the weight and the faster the speed, the greater risk for injury.
3
How does acceleration and deceleration impact injury in the trauma patient?
The rate at which the body increases speed is known as acceleration. Therefore, the rate at which the body decreases speed is known as deceleration. A faster change in speed results in a higher exerted force. This is why a patient traveling at a high speed and striking a tree has a higher injury pattern than someone who gradually decelerates and bumps that same tree.
4
What are the different types of traumatic injuries and why are the mechanisms important?
A force applied to the body results in either blunt or penetrating trauma. Blunt trauma is a force, but no penetration from an object. Penetrating trauma produces a break in the continuity of the skin. Understanding the mechanism of injury is important because you will be able to arrive at the scene and suspect certain injuries based quickly on just your observations. The four most common mechanisms of injury include vehicle or collisions, falls, penetrating gunshots or stabbings, and explosions.
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