Assessment of the Trauma Patient

Abstract

Abstract This resource was designed to provide an introduction to the assessment of the trauma patient for medical students rotating in the emergency department, as well as give these students hands-on practice with the basic equipment used in a trauma resuscitation. The resource consists of a video module designed to be viewed by students prior to an in-class didactic session. The in-class didactic session consists of a skills practice session during which students practice performing basic airway interventions, C-spine immobilization, use of the intraosseous needle, and other basic skills, followed by a series of cases in which the students practice performing the primary survey of the trauma patient and identifying life-threatening injuries in the case scenarios. This module has been implemented into the didactic curriculum for the medical students rotating in the emergency department at our institution. We have had emergency medicine faculty, as well as residents at the third- and fourth-year level, serve as instructors for this module. The feedback we have received from students and instructors has been very positive. Our students found the hands-on, practical approach of the in-class case practice session particularly engaging and helpful. They also commented on the strength of the various modalities used in teaching and appreciated the chance to be observed while practicing equipment use, as well as the “oral boards” type of case-based learning. Students also appreciated that the 2-hour class time was devoted to case-based practice of skills and practice with equipment, rather than lecture.

Keywords

• Trauma
• Wounds and Injuries
• Emergencies
• Primary Survey
• ATLS