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
Especially when present in an elderly patient