Trauma Assessment & Management
Trauma questions are scenario-heavy: the exam wants to know if you can prioritize a bleeding, hypoxic, altered patient in under 60 seconds.
EMT · AEMT · Paramedic
The primary survey
Airway with C-spine, breathing, circulation with hemorrhage control, disability, exposure. Massive hemorrhage often moves ahead of airway (MARCH: Massive hemorrhage, Airway, Respiration, Circulation, Head/Hypothermia).
Hemorrhage control
Direct pressure first. If uncontrolled extremity bleeding, tourniquet 2–3 inches proximal to the wound, high and tight, time-stamped. Junctional hemorrhage: pressure and hemostatic gauze.
Spinal motion restriction
Modern protocols use selective SMR — mechanism plus clinical criteria (altered, intoxicated, midline tenderness, distracting injury, neuro deficit). Long boards are extrication tools, not transport devices, in most systems.
Frequently asked
- What is permissive hypotension?
- Titrating fluids to maintain a systolic BP around 80–90 mmHg (or a palpable radial pulse) in bleeding trauma patients, to avoid dislodging clots. It's paramedic-scope in most systems.
Test yourself
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