Question on Patient Assessment with Trauma Patient:

[RunnerD1987]

Hey how goes things? I am taking a MRT class and we are coming close to the finish of the class. We have begun doing stations to prepare us for the test and just to put all the skills together. Specifically in regards to the Trauma Patient, I am looking at a bit more explanation into Mechanism of Injury and Chief of Complaint. I am looking over the sheet for what to perform at a P.A. for a Trauma Patient station.

For example, say if the scene was say patient, A was on an ATV and things went awry. Hit a rock and patient A was ejected and then landed 5 feet away. When you work on the scene size-up the mechanism of injury is the patient is on the ground and ejected from the ATV. Would that be correct in saying that is the MOI?

From this scenario Patient A mental status on the AVPU scale is at a painful stimuli. I am a bit unsure on how you can address the Chief Complaint until doing an examination later on. Would it be at this point the same as the MOI?

Then my final question is probably not on this scenario, but say Patient A is consciousness and can communicate. Is that when you would perform a focused assessment? Is it something that will come along to perform a focused assessment on a trauma patient, or something that rarely happens?

I do appreciate the response and the insight, and will try to respond back soon. Have a good one.

 

[MrBrown]

Mechanisim of injury is somewhat overrated.

What approach you take does not often fit into a nicely packaged check sheet for a standardised test designed to be taken by barely homeostasasing Parathinktheyare Medicfighters and stretcher monekys.

Chief complaint is also somewhat overrated, the main problem is probably a traumatic brain injury and a bunch of long bone fractures or internal injuries, Brown left his x-ray machine in the helicopter.

 

[Shishkabob]

If they are unresponsive, or it takes some effort to arouse them, the chief complain would be "unresponsive" or "lethargic" or something of that nature.... you don't have to pin it down to a specific ddx.