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( Physical trauma)
Physical trauma refers to a physical injury. A trauma patient is someone who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury with the potential for secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure and death. Trauma is defined as any body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from accident, injury, or impact. Trauma patients may require specialized care, including surgery and blood transfusion, within the so-called golden hour of emergency medicine, the first sixty minutes after trauma occurs. This is not a strict deadline, but recognizes that many deaths which could have been prevented by appropriate care occur a relatively short time after injury. In many places organized trauma referral systems have been set up to provide rapid care for injured people. Research has shown that deaths from physical trauma decline where there are organized trauma systems. In a prehospital setting, also called the "field", emergency medical technicians, paramedics, specialized nurses, firefighters and other trained providers known as 'first responders', use stabilization techniques to improve the chances of a trauma patient surviving the transport to the nearest hospital or trauma center. After ensuring their own safety and taking Body substance isolation precautions, professionals begin performing a primary survey, consisting of an assessment of the level of consciousness of the patient, then checking and treating airway, breathing, and circulation (called the "ABC's"). The method was published by Peter Safar in his 1957 book, ABCs of Resuscitaion. The basic principle is that death primarily resulted from a lack of oxygen to the brain (anoxia). The main priority is therefore to ensure that oxygenated blood is circulating. The purpose of the primary survey is to identify life-threatening problems. Ensuring that the injured person is not disabled by unnecessary movement of the spine is paramount. On most patients, and all unconscious patients, the neck is secured with a Cervical collar, and the back is secured to a long spine board with head supports, or other medical transport device such as a Kendrick Extrication Device, before moving the patient. This is called clearing the cervical spine, also know as doing "C-spine." Unless the victim is in imminent danger of death, first responders will usually "load and go" transporting the victim immediately to the nearest appropriate trauma-equipped hospital.
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