Trauma vs. ER

[healthstar]

Good morning,good afternoon, good evening,

Excuse my ignorance. Can someone tell me the difference between trauma and ER--how are they different, what goes on in trauma and ER? When we have serious health problems we go straight to ER, some get trasferred to trauma department right away. I am wondering why.( I hope no one gets offended by this, I am not saying they are the same)

Thank you :)

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

Ok I have to clarify here. Traumas can be minor or major. A thumb whacked with a hammer is still trauma.

Medical PTs can also be major or minor. A cough vs stage 4 lung cx with a raging fever.

Trauma simply means damage done to the body from outside vs from internal reasons.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I am making a lateral move from a non-trauma to a trauma ER. Any advice on what I should be studying up on before I start orientation.

Get to a Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) class, if you haven't done that already. It's a great foundation for anyone dealing with trauma patients. ENPC/TNCC

[muesli]

Things that end up being treated in the trauma room must meet certain criteria, but they typically include car wrecks, gunshots, stabbings, or falls or other accidents with suspicion for serious and emergent internal injury. Depending on the injury, these patients may go directly to the OR or they may be assessed, stabilized and sent to the main ED for continued monitoring. Pregnant patients who are imminently delivering who don't have time to be sent over to labor and delivery may also end up in the trauma room. That doesn't mean that the main ED never sees sick patients. Patients with open fractures without massive hemorrhage, heart attacks including STEMIs, strokes, patients in septic shock, heart dysrhthmias, cardiac arrest and patients in respiratory distress needing intubation are all examples of sick patients that would come to the main ED, but not the trauma room. I work at a Level 1 trauma center; other facilities may vary in what ends up in their trauma room.

[muesli]

Weatherck, get your TNCC as soon as you can. I found it very informative and helpful.