EHS 1040 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Blunt Trauma, Penetrating Trauma, Avpu

• School: GWU
• Department: Emergency Health Services
• Course: EHS 1040
• Professor: Wanda M.Herbel, Susan J.Okun

Document Summary

Environmental cause (m) - eg carbon monoxide. Mechanism of injury or nature of illness. Ensure the car is o , stable, no present smell of gas, avoid broken glass. Look to car damage to determine mechanism of injury. Consider battery - re hose at ready. Consider the speed of the mechanism of injury. In the case of cars or bullet wounds kinetics can impact the injury itself. Eg- height of a fall 3 stories = 10 ft each 30 ft total. Protrusion into the passenger seat or compartment of more than a foot. Injury > focused physical assessment (hx and vitals) Eg- trouble breathing requires di erent focused exam. Check wob - skin coloration, check for retractions, nasal aring, rate. Check pulse - two locations (brc) / cap re ll. Under 8 pr bag or upper limit is questionable - subjective. Heroin/opiate drug overdoses - death caused respiratory system failure - pinpoint pupils.