Ministry of Health

http://newzealand.govt.nz/

    
 ©Copyright
 Published: 28/11/2011

Criteria for Trauma Call

A. A mandatory trauma call will be made when there is one or more of:

1.        RT call The emergency department is notified of the imminent arrival of an unstable
             trauma patient (status 1 or 2).
            see  Ambulance Status Codes

2.      Physiology

• Respiratory rate < 10 or > 29

• Systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg

•  Glasgow Coma Scale < 13

These physiological parameters may be met in the ambulance, noted at triage or deteriorated to in the emergency department.

 3.      Transfer
Major trauma patient from another Hospital coming to the Emergency Dept.

4.      Multiple Casualties
When the Emergency Department is forewarned of the imminent simultaneous arrival of six or more trauma patients, irrespective of their suspected injury severity.

 5.     Injury Pattern

• Penetrating injury to the head, neck or torso

• Flail chest

• Complex pelvic injury

• Two or more proximal long bone fractures

• Traumatic amputation proximal to knee or elbow

• Major crush injury

• Paraplegia or quadriplegia

B.  A discretionary trauma call can be made by the Emergency Medicine registrar or consultant. 
This may be made for mechanism, physiology, co-morbidities or a combination of these.
These might include:

• Fall > 3 metres

• Cyclist or motorcyclist versus car

• Pedestrian versus car or train

• Ejection from a vehicle

• Entrapment > 30 minutes

• Fatality in the vehicle

• Beta-blockers

• Relative hypotension

• Anticoagulation

Last updated on 28/11/2011