Emergency Room vs. Motorcycle Accident Patient

Yeah its not too late for a CT but why. The purpose would be to rule out serious internal injury, of which its Wed now and the injury occurred on Sat. More than likely he would have shown outward signs of it by now, so only spending needless $$.

Definitely second rate care. What social worker, some ER's may not have one, as far as referrals its common to refer pts to their PCP. Also some facilities may not have referral services either.

Now from the sounds of it this pt should have never even been transported to the facility he ended up at. He as a trauma pt and should have went to a trauma center. You need to be talking with EMS as well. Sounds like they were over their head and just were winging it.

Rj

...Not all NPs only work Fast Track....

Thank you all for your input. My son's wounds look like they are getting better. He is still in severe pain, but now is manifesting other s/s.

Our hospital is not designated a trauma center as you all have figured out. However, they do have an emergency department and accept patients.Appropriate emergency care should have, but was not, provided. I'll deal with those things after we are on the upswing in recovery.

This town has two hospitals. I intend to take him to the other ED this morning to be examined by a doctor. I am not convinced there isn't something else going on. Severe pain in left kidney area, extreme bruising, mild swelling. I now do not believe he was even given a physical exam by the doctor in ED. (I was not with him the whole time, they had to have their paperwork, you know). X-rays included flat plate of cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral spine, abdomen. My son does not remember being examined.

...how about FAST exams?
You could use that instead of all the radiation as a first level screening tool....plus less risk for complication during intrafacility xport.

Question: Do you do your Trauma CT's with or without oral contrast???
-if you do them "with" how do you justify giving a pt PO contrast who might have a perforation or internal disruption???
-if you do them "without" oral contrast, how do they see hollow organs on the scans???

...how about angio for vascular integrity?