Trauma Assessment and Resuscitation

Run a systematic primary and secondary survey on an injured patient and direct the early resuscitation decisions that follow from it.

Practice this in the app More Emergency medicine tracks

What this track covers

This track covers structured trauma assessment from the first minutes in the trauma bay through disposition. It focuses on identifying and treating life threats in order of lethality, sequencing resuscitation interventions, and completing a thorough secondary exam without missing injuries.

What you will practice

Sequence the primary survey and address each life threat before moving on
Distinguish tension pneumothorax, open pneumothorax, and flail chest on exam
Recognize sources and patterns of hemorrhagic shock and prioritize control
Perform a complete head-to-toe secondary survey without skipping steps
Coordinate roles and communication among a multidisciplinary trauma team

Simulator scenario

A patient arrives after a motor vehicle collision with altered mental status and unstable vitals, requiring the clinician to run the primary survey, identify the life-threatening injury, and direct initial management before reassessing.

Board question topics

Primary survey sequencing (ABCDE)
Recognizing thoracic life threats on exam
Shock classification and hemorrhage control
Secondary survey and injury identification

Ask the tutor

What are the indications for a definitive airway in a trauma patient?Opens the tutor · answers cite their sources How do I recognize and manage a tension pneumothorax at the bedside?Opens the tutor · answers cite their sources What's the difference between the primary and secondary survey and when do I move between them?Opens the tutor · answers cite their sources

The tutor only answers from licensed sources (FDA prescribing information, public guidelines and our own material) and says when it has none. Educational use only, never patient-specific advice.

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