Trauma activation question

[ParamedicStudent]

So I know different counties have major trauma criteria, and from my knowledge, a trauma is any physical injury that the body didn't do to itself, maybe a fall. This includes blunt force, penetrating, fractures, etc.

But from my protocols it says that if we get any one of the criteria from mechanism, anatomical or physiological, we would activate a trauma alert. And in my county its GCS<14 would be a major trauma. So if someone has a papercut, and GCS is <14, we would call in a trauma alert? Or if mechanism is this, and someone has 0 complaints, GCS 15, and just needs to go for evaluation, we would still call a trauma alert?

Just need some clarifying

 

[Flying]

GCS is GCS and trauma is trauma.

In my local system what used to be the "trauma alert" has been split into two: we now have a trauma alert and a trauma code, they're a bit of a workaround for those who don't want to skirt with company/state policies.

The former is for patients who fit one of the criteria (mechanism/sketchy GCS), but in practice don't appear to have much more than a papercut.
The latter is for patients who fit the criteria and definitely deserve the attention of the trauma team.

Most of these protocols leave room for "provider discretion" or tell you to be safe if in doubt. Will your county's trauma alert bring in a bunch of people who are on-call? Does the patient you are seeing need those resources?

 

[STXmedic]

f these protocols leave room for "provider discretion" or tell you to be safe if in doubt. Will your county's trauma alert bring in a bunch of people who are on-call? Does the patient you are seeing need those resources?

This. Don't just follow protocols blindly. You have to use a bit of critical thinking and common sense. Be a clinician, not a protocol monkey.

 

[PotatoMedic]

We use the CDC trauma guidelines.
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