It’s a warm summer day as you enjoy driving through the countryside. The side road you are traveling on has seen very little traffic, which makes the experience even more enjoyable. Suddenly you notice a car that appears to have struck a tree. As you approach the vehicle you notice there is steam and fluids coming from the engine compartment. There does not appear to be any gasoline leaking. Determining the scene is safe, you move to the driver’s side of the vehicle.
The male driver is slumped over the steering wheel and is unresponsive. You check for a pulse in his wrist and find it present. He is breathing but it seems labored. You look around to see if anyone may be coming to help. You are alone. 911 is called and they inform you the nearest emergency rescue unit about 25 minutes away. You are the only person that can help this individual at this time.
You run back to your car and retrieve a blanket and small first aid kit from the trunk. You use the blanket to cover the victim. Although the air temperature is in the middle to high 70’s, you know that injured people lose body heat rapidly. Allowing the victim to become hypothermic would further threaten his condition.
Next you notice he is bleeding heavily from a deep laceration on his left forearm. Bright red blood is spurting from the wound and a large amount of blood is puddled on the seat, indicating an arterial bleed. You pull a thick heavy dressing and bandage from your first aid kit and apply a tight pressure dressing to control the bleeding. It appears to be working.
Now you evaluate the victim further and find he has a large contusion on his forehead. There is little you can do about this so you move on. His breathing seems to be increasingly labored and you decide to move him. You know that any movement must maintain his spine in a near normal position. This will prevent any further injury to the neck and spine. So you place one hand on each side of his head and move him to an upright position. Breathing is much improved and you can hear sirens in the distance. EMS arrives and praises you for a job well done.
Trauma is the fourth leading cause of death and is defined as any injury caused by external forces. This would include such things as, but not limited to, automobile accidents, falls, sports injuries, and violent assaults.
Rapid emergency care is needed in these situations to stabilize and treat obvious injuries. Time is of the essence and knowing what to do before EMS arrives can help in developing a better outcome for the trauma victim.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
Luke 10:33-35