Advanced Trauma Life Support ATLS

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The content and skills presented in this course are designed to assist doctors in providing emergency care for trauma patients. The concept of the “golden hour” emphasizes the urgency necessary... for successful treatment of injured patients and is not intended to represent a “fixed” time period of 60 minutes. Rather, it is the window of opportunity during which doctors can have a positive impact on the morbidity and mortality associated with injury. The ATLS course provides the essential information and skills for doctors to identify and treat life-threatening and potentially life-threatening injuries under the extreme pressures associated with the care of these patients in the fast-paced environment and anxiety of a trauma room. The ATLS course is applicable to clinicians in a variety of clinical situations. It is just as relevant to providers in a large teaching facility in North America or Europe as it is in a developing nation with rudimentary facilities. Upon completion of the ATLS student course, the participant will be able to: 1. Demonstrate the concepts and principles of the primary and secondary patient assessments. 2. Establish management priorities in a trauma situation. 3. Initiate primary and secondary management necessary within the golden hour for the emergency management of acute life-threatening conditions. 4. In a given simulated clinical and surgical skills practicum, demonstrate the following skills, which are often required in the initial assessment and treatment of patients with multiple injuries: a. Primary and secondary assessment of a patient with simulated, multiple injuries b. Establishment of a patent airway and initiation of assisted ventilations. c. Orotracheal intubation on adult and infant manikins d. Pulse oximetry and carbon dioxide detection in exhaled gas e. Cricothyroidotomy f. Assessment and treatment of a patient in shock, particularly recognition of life-threatening hemorrhage g. Venous and intraosseous access h. Pleural decompression via needle thoracentesis and chest tube insertion i. Recognition of cardiac tamponade and appropriate treatment j. Clinical and radiographic identification of thoracic injuries k. Use of peritoneal lavage, ultrasound (FAST), and computed tomography (CT) in abdominal evaluation l. Evaluation and treatment of a patient with brain injury, including use of the Glasgow Coma Scale score and CT of the brain m. Assessment of head and facial trauma by physical examination n. Protection of the spinal cord, and radiographic and clinical evaluation of spine injuries o. Musculoskeletal trauma assessment and management [Show More]

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