trauma level 1 or 3?

[RN92]

Which takes the most severe pts: Level I or Level 3? The hospital I work at has separate Er's - one for Medicine and one for trauma. I work in the medicine ER and we answer the phone: Level I, this is ....(so and so). I know that our trauma unit takes the worst trauma pts for a 150mile ground and air radius. I was talking to a recruiter the other day who was saying that a Level 3 trauma center takes the most serious pts. Which is it? Is it the same nationally?

[EMTPTORN]

level 1 takes the most critical, level 3 takes least critical. it is that way in FL and i believe all over. the differences: level 1 must have trauma staff (surgeons) in house ready to operate at a moments notice...the level 2 trauma center i work at the requirement is surgeon must be to hospital within 30 min of page (ie the requirement for level 2 is to have surgeon on call and in house in short time...level 3 hospital is not required to have anybody on call, they are basically there for er doc to try to stopgap fix any life threats such as getting an airway, then get them the hell to a trauma center.

randy

[tdg_rn]

It's the same nationally. A lot of people confuse them but Level 1 is always the facility that can deal with the worse trauma for the reason EMTPTORN gave.

[RN92]

Thanks guys. I work at a level I hospital, then. The recruiter had me all confused.