Another trauma protocol this week, which means relatively low complexity in terms of prehospital interventions. In approaching amputation, the bulk of care can be administered at the CFR level, with BLS and ALS levels of training offering not much more beyond transport.
The relevance for OLMC comes in understanding questions on hospital destination. Generally, only amputations proximal to the wrist or ankle require transport to a trauma center (which, remember, often means bypassing a closer, non-trauma center ED), but be sure to listen to the EMT or paramedic’s full presentation on the case. Use your discretion in determining what feels appropriate for patient care, but just like with other transportation decisions, remember that your orders (extending the transport time of a unit, adding patient load to a particular hospital, etc.) may impact the community and overarching EMS system at large.
Reach out with any questions, www.nycremsco.org or the protocols binder for more, and I’ll see you next week!
Dave