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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: Trauma is the leading cause of death in younger people in the Western world. It is of great importance that smaller trauma centres with "high-risk, low-incidence" trauma resuscitations maintain high standards in trauma resuscitation, as severely injured patients are occasionally treated. We aimed to evaluate the effect of implementing trauma team training (TTT). Additionally, we investigated the incidence of severe traumas using the Injury Severity Score (ISS).
METHODS: Data on process times were collected in a three-month period before and after implementation of TTT at the Regional Hospital Randers, Denmark. Process times from arrival of the patient in the trauma room until chest X-ray, trauma CT, CT description and transfer were registered. ISS was calculated as trauma severity.
RESULTS: A total of 43 trauma patients were registered. ISS values were not significantly different between the two cohorts. 5/43 (12%) had an ISS > 15 as an expression of severe traumas. A tendency to reduced process times was found, but results were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite limitations in this study, our results point towards a reduced process time after the implementation of TTT. At an organisational level, TTT can draw attention to challenges, inappropriate local procedures and allocation of material and staff in order to improve trauma resuscitations. Only 12% of patients had an ISS > 15, emphasising the need to simulate trauma resuscitations using TTT. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency.
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Language: en |