True trauma care involves the practice of injury prevention and the provision of care for traumatic injuries. A trauma victim has likely sustained a serious injury by intentional or accidental cause that may be threatening to the victim's life or the loss of limb, organ damage or other serious condition.
Trauma remains the leading cause of death up to 44 years of age and accounts for more than 150,000 deaths annually costing greater than 434.8 billion dollars a year. Trauma is a surgical disease where every minute post-injury counts, hence the term the "Golden Hour of Trauma" was developed.
Research has shown that the earlier a trauma victim accesses advanced pre-hospital care, stabilization and transport to a verified trauma center with definitive care, the overall chance for survival and recovery are far greater.
The Trauma Center at Theda Clark has developed a systematic approach to caring for the trauma victim and their families. An organized approach involves a full team of specialists starting in the pre-hospital arena with Advanced Life Support (ALS) Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers, ThedaStar Air Medical Services, to the emergency department, operating room, critical care, surgical/neuro floor and in-patient rehabilitation units. All trauma care providers work collaboratively to reduce death and disability for the trauma victim. These trauma care specialists and departments are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including holidays – trauma never takes a vacation!
Theda Clark Medical Center had a vision to become a trauma center in the early 1990’s. The program was built over the following years, and Theda Clark was verified by the American College of Surgeon (ACS) as a Level II Trauma Center, meaning a facility that provides definitive trauma care from a full range of services. This designation is proof the trauma program at Theda Clark meets all nationally recognized standards in providing excellent trauma care.
In accordance with ACS guidelines, the Trauma Center at Theda Clark provides 24 hour coverage by board-certified emergency medical physicians and specialists in Trauma surgery, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Orthopaedic surgery, Cardiology, Cardiovascular surgery, Plastic surgery, Ophthalmic surgery and various pediatric specialists Children’s Hospital of WI-Fox Valley.
Specialized pre-hospital rapid transport services are available through ThedaStar Air Medical. Trauma Services staff include a board-certified Trauma Director, Trauma Coordinator, Injury Prevention Coordinator and Trauma Registrar. Clinical staff caring for trauma patients receive specialized training to provide optimum care. A Comprehensive Accredited Rehabilitation Facility (CARF) is located on site.
"One-call" referral line: (800) 236-2066 - Emergency Department physicians can accept patients on behalf of the on-call surgical specialists saving precious minutes for the patient.
Trauma Blue: Definition and Purpose - The purpose of the Trauma Blue is to provide the most concentrated and sophisticated level of trauma care to patients. A Trauma Blue will be called by the Trauma surgeon, the Emergency Department Physician, The Emergency Department Resource Nurse, and/or the flight nurse or field EMT/Paramedic, when a trauma patient is enroute to or has arrived at Theda Clark Medical Center's Emergency Department and meets criteria for Trauma Blue.
Upon activation of the Trauma Blue, the Trauma Team will report immediately to the resuscitation area. The purpose of the trauma team concept is to assemble individuals with required skill in order to create an integrated unit which works efficiently toward a common and clearly understood goal - the care, stabilization and optimum outcome for the multiple trauma victim. It is understood that the decision to call a Trauma Blue will often be based upon field data which may be incomplete. It is inevitable that situations will occur when a Trauma Blue is activated for a patient who is later determined not to have met the criteria for major trauma patient status. The purpose, however, for instituting a Trauma Blue Protocol is to provide an advanced and progressive approach to trauma care: thus, over response may occur based upon the best interests of the patient.
Theda Clark Medical Center Trauma Team:
- Trauma Surgeon/Team Captain
- Emergency Department Physician
- ER Paramedic Nurses(2)
- Emergency Department Resource Nurse
- Respiratory Therapist
- ThedaStar Flight Nurses (if available)
- Radiology Technologist
- Laboratory Technician
- Social Services / Chaplain
- Physiological Monitoring Tech.
- Trauma Coordinator (when in house)
- CT Scan Surgery Team (1 RN, 1 OR Tech, Anesthesiology)
- Trauma Consultants: Neurosurgeon: For all trauma cases with associated major head injuries. Orthopedic Surgeon: For all trauma cases with major orthopedic injuries. Pediatrician: For all cases with a patient less than 13 years old.
Trauma Blue Activation Criteria
A Trauma Blue should be considered in any of the following situations:
- Glasgow Coma Scale < 9
- Falls >20 feet
- Roll-over high speed auto crash: Initial speed > 40mph, major auto deformity > 20 inches, intrusion into passenger compartment >12 inches
- Auto-pedestrian injury with significant impact (>5 mph)
- Pedestrian thrown or run over
- Motorcycle crash > 20 mph or with separation of bike and rider
- Patients >age 55
- Pregnancy past 1st trimester
- Any patient with known cardiac disease, respiratory disease, insulin-dependant diabetes, cirrhosis, malignancy, morbid obesity, coagulopathy, or immunosuppression