I am working on a case study and I need to know what a "FAST" test is!

Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST)

Found your answer here:

http://emergency-medicine.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2007/803/3

and here:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/91183.php

and a video here:

http://www.medrounds.org/emergency-medicine/2007/04/fast-exam-ultrasonography-in-trauma.html

http://www.dcmsonline.org/jax-medicine/1999journals/march99/ultrasound.htm

About halfway down the page the FAST exam is explained.

Post deleted---wrong information. Sorry!

Did you find all the info you needed? I worked at a trauma center and saw FAST exams done on a daily basis, I can help explain it further if needed.

I am glad you ask that question because I didnt know the answer and I feel like I should!

When I have a question that I need a fast answer for and I am at home, I google it and have always found the answer.

A FAST exam is a bedside ultrasound, typically of the abdomen, that is standard for all trauma patients.

I did get my info..thank you though.

The scale is 3-15 with extremes at both ends. In our facility 10 and below is a sure way to get the million dollar workup

http://www.trauma.org/archive/scores/gcs.html

General rule= less than 8? IN-TU-BATE!

General rule= less than 8? IN-TU-BATE!

That pretty much sums it up

Basically we have a pt coming by helicopter who was involved in a single-car MVA. Something ignited in the passangers seat and the pt was burned. He has a GCS score of 8 at the scene. He was intubated and is being ventilated. HR-120, BP-80 systolic. He has bleeding from an open perineal wound where he experienced blunt trauma from the hydraulic cylinder. EMS reports he has femoral pulses, but no radial. He is cool, pale, and diaphoretic. There is blood coming from under the pts pelvic area. His pre-burn weight is 160.

Question: Discuss the GCS of 8 and the meaning/implications on this score.

I know what the scale is and I have the scale in front of me but I am having trouble being specific with this question...please help!

My guess would be that he was:

2 -- opens eyes to pain

2 -- incomprehensible words (screaming a lot)

4 -- withdrawel from pain

Essentially he is in a lot of pain from the burns, bleeding leads to shock (low bp) no radial pulse from low bp (good yardstick when unable to get bp if you got a radial it is usually 80 or greater, femoral is 70 or greater).

He could have been intubated for burns to the neck causing swelling and obstructing airway or tachypnea (elevated respiratory rate) and they thought he would poop out. Although you can intubate for GCS less than 8 you don't have to. I responded to a MRT today with a GCS of 3 - heavily oversedated, pt did not move at all to any stimuli. Couple of narcan and romizacon later and we were up to 13.

Hope this helps

Pat