Friday 13 November 2009

trauma care in abuja: a time to wake up

the management of trauma patients in abuja is appalling. there is a complete lack of understanding of the concepts of advanced trauma life support. even the tenets of basic life support are not applied in patient management. many trauma patients are simply not reviewed not treated and turned away, sent to the nearest big general hospital without proper management. and many die on the way in hearses otherwise called ambulances. they are really better called 'taxis'. some hospitals actually use taxis or even relatives cars to send patients between facilities. this is wholly not acceptable. we must work together to preserve life at every step.
what we need to do? we need to work together. its really simple. resuscitate the patient. sort out any problems with airway, breathing and blood pressure. put in an intravenous line or two and put up fluids. if hypotensive give a plasma expander. stop any immediate accessible bleeding. investigate in trauma as much as you can safely. get a skull x-ray, cervical x-ray and chest or long bone x-rays as necessary. get as much information as you can and then transfer. let the other hospital have as much information as possible so they know where to start from in continuing the care of the patient.
resuscitate: investigate: transfer. Simple