Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support Date: Name: I.D. Number: Activity 2 Head and Face Injuries Motor Vehicle Accident

Pre- Hospital Trauma Life Support
Date:
Name:
I.D. Number:
Activity 2
Head and Face Injuries
■
Motor Vehicle Accident
Scenario: You are dispatched at 5 am to a single-car crash with possible injuries. Law enforcement and
the fire department are also en route. Upon arrival you observe a mid-size sedan that has crashed
head-on into an oak tree on the shoulder of a poorly lit rural road with visibility further impaired by dense
fog. Law enforcement has cleared the scene. They inform you that there is only one patient, who is
pinned in the vehicle. You approach the driver’s side of the car and find a middle-aged, unrestrained
woman complaining of a headache. She states that she was driving to work when she lost control of her
car, crashed into the trees, and struck her head on the windshield. Although the patient denies any loss
of consciousness, there is a bruise on her forehead. You observe moderate front-end damage with
intrusion into the passenger compartment. The air bags have deployed, and the
windshield is intact.
Prearrival Questions:
ions
1. What factors would influence your decision in how to remove the patient from the vehicle?
As you arrive, assess the scene through the windshield of the vehicle to develop an index of suspicion for potential
injuries based upon damage to the vehicle and mechanism of injury. Patients involved in front-end collisions may
have head, neck, chest, abdominal,spinal, pelvic and extremity injuries, whereas a patient from a lateral collision
may have injuries localized on the side of impact.
2. Based on the information provided, what injuries do you suspect?

Head injury and the patient is on shock
Yes the scene is safe

What body substance Isolation is used? Gloves
What is the mechanism of injury? Trauma starts with the transfer of energy to the
body from an outside force.
Number of patients? One patient

Is there C-spine stabilization? Yes c-spine stabilization is important to reduce to
prevent or minimize secondary damage to the
spinal cord caused by injuries
Assessment Question:
3. Besides head trauma, what else might account for the patient’s altered mental status?
the causes of altered mental status is shock
4. What additional information would you like to know?

Full name and contact information.
General impression Middle-aged woman unrestrained in the driver’s
seat of her vehicle
Level of consciousness Responsive and answers questions
Chief complaint/life threat Headache
Airway and breathing Normal
Oxygen therapy Use nonrebreathing mask
Adequate ventilation Rr: 20 bpm
Initial treatment Use of C-spine stabilization to protect from injury
Circulation No bleeding
Pulse Radial pulses strong
Skin Warm
Transport decision Load and go
Baseline vital signs Blood pressure: 140/90 mm Hg

Pulse: 80 beats/min
Respirations: 20 breaths/min
SaO2: 98%
SAMPLE history S— headache
A—No allergies
M— unknown
P— unknown
L— unknown
E—driving to work
Head assessment No injuries noted
Neck assessment No injury
Chest assessment No injury
Abdomen and pelvis assessment No injuries
Extremities assessment all four extremities have pulse, motor and

sensation
Posterior assessment No injuries
Secondary wounds Air bag have deployment abrasions the face
5. What are your treatment goals for this patient?

must follow for patient assessment, treatment, transportation and delivery to definitive care.
6. Review the steps for applying a long backboard.

Center the patient on the board and secure the torso with straps followed by the pelvis and upper legs.
Secure the head by placing either rolled towels on either side or a commercially available device and
then place tape across the forehead and secured to the edges of the long spine board.
7. Review the steps for removing the patient from the vehicle following placement of a short backboard.
With the patient sitting forward slightly, slide the short backboard behind the patient and between the
arms of the rescuer holding manual inline stabilization. Once the short backboard is properly positioned
behind the patient and all straps are in position move the patient back to the device.
8. Does this patient meet trauma alert criteria? Yes
9. What should you do if the patient refuses c-spine immobilization?

Tell the patient about the importance of c-spine immobilization and that it used to prevent or minimize
secondary damage to the spinal cord caused by injuries
Treatment Maintain manual c-spine.
Place the patient on a long backboard.
Apply a cervical immobilization device.
Monitor vital signs for signs of shock.
Reassessment of vital signs Every 5 minutes

Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support Date: Name: I.D. Number: Activity 2 Head and Face Injuries Motor Vehicle Accident

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Pre- Hospital Trauma Life Support

2. Based on the information provided, what injuries do you suspect?

Yes the scene is safe

Number of patients? One patient

4. What additional information would you like to know?

Chief complaint/life threat Headache

Airway and breathing Normal

Oxygen therapy Use nonrebreathing mask

Adequate ventilation Rr: 20 bpm

Initial treatment Use of C-spine stabilization to protect from injury

Pulse Radial pulses strong

Transport decision Load and go

Baseline vital signs Blood pressure: 140/90 mm Hg

Head assessment No injuries noted

Neck assessment No injury

Chest assessment No injury

Abdomen and pelvis assessment No injuries

Extremities assessment all four extremities have pulse, motor and

Secondary wounds Air bag have deployment abrasions the face

5. What are your treatment goals for this patient?

6. Review the steps for applying a long backboard.

8. Does this patient meet trauma alert criteria? Yes

9. What should you do if the patient refuses c-spine immobilization?

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