ER - Trauma difference?

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Sep 28, 2005

I'll make it simple ER is well the Emergency Department. A Trauma unit is generally the ICU where the patients go after treatment in the ER or OR. In your case Surgical Trauma would be where a trauma pt ends up following surgery.

RJ:rolleyes:

Altra, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2005

Hi,
Can someone explain the difference between an ER unit and a Trauma unit? I have some general knowledge about the two but I wanted more info. I have an interview for a position on a surgical trauma unit. Any info will be welcomed...

An emergency dept. sees all pts. that walk through the door or come in via EMS. Some have had a traumatic injury or are critically ill ... some have a hang nail. And everything in between.

The trauma unit you're describing sounds like a trauma ICU. Hospitals which are accredited trauma centers often have a unit dedicated to the care of these pts. when they are admitted, after being stabilized in the ER. Surgery is often, but not always, a part of the treatment for trauma pts.

HTH :)

nursing 101 · Sep 28, 2005

Thank you guys... You just made it soo clear... :)

TinyNurse, RN · Sep 29, 2005

but wait.........

I'm used to the ER recieving Traumas in a level I, but here in San Diego, the traumas bypass the ER completely at this level I, and go straight to the ICU where they perform a trauma recuess.

I've never ever heard of it this way until I came here, and from what the CNS tells me it's just a "different school of thought".

very interesting, i guess from each place I go, i learn something different, even if it is a different school of thought

NeuroNP · Sep 29, 2005

but wait.........
I'm used to the ER recieving Traumas in a level I, but here in San Diego, the traumas bypass the ER completely at this level I, and go straight to the ICU where they perform a trauma recuess.
I've never ever heard of it this way until I came here, and from what the CNS tells me it's just a "different school of thought".
very interesting, i guess from each place I go, i learn something different, even if it is a different school of thought

That is an interesting idea. I remember a nurse I worked with told me at someplace she toured in preparation for an overhaul of our Level I (Vandy maybe?) they do something similar. All trauma patients come into the ED for initial review, then they go to either the Trauma ICU for full resus, the OR or if it turns out that it's not as big a deal as first thought (that happened to us more than once...) to the floor (or another part of the ED if there's no floor beds). They claim that the time in the ED is