General trauma principles

On arrival The emergency medical services (EMS) can provide invaluable information on a trauma patient if you take the time to obtain it. Gather a brief history from EMS (“the bullet”) initially. Important aspects of the scene history include mechanism of injury, vital signs, mental status, IV access, or any changes or interventions en route. Attempt to obtain more details (e.g., amount of damage to the vehicle, size of knife, etc.) once the patient is stabilized. If necessary, appoint one of your team members to gather the prehospital history. Primary survey The primary survey aims to identify life-threatening and reversible causes of life-threatening injury. The primary survey should be completed in a consistent and thorough manner for every trauma patient.