Mechanisms of Injury & Kinetics: A Deep Dive

Join us in this video as we unravel the intricacies of injury mechanisms and explore the kinetic forces behind them.

Types of Incidents

Accidents can manifest in myriad forms, from falls from heights to vehicle collisions. Grasping the unique circumstances of each event is paramount to accurately assess potential injuries and establish a treatment priority.

Rescuer Safety: A Top Priority

As rescuers, our primary responsibility is to safeguard ourselves. Without guaranteeing our safety, aiding patients becomes untenable. We must vigilantly identify and mitigate hazards such as electricity, water, falling objects, and heights.

Patient Safety & Swift Decisions

Immediately after securing our safety, our focus shifts to the patient. Decisions, like whether to move them, how to do so, and determining the need for additional resources on the scene, should be made expeditiously. The likes of the fire service, police, bystanders, and mechanical aids can prove invaluable and should be alerted promptly.

The 'Jigsaw Approach' to Assessment

Instead of impulsively addressing evident injuries, we adopt a more holistic approach. Clues like skid marks and impact points help us reconstruct the event, often even before reaching the patient. It's pivotal to corroborate our findings with bystander accounts, ensuring their stories align with our observations.

Anticipating Potential Injuries

Analysing the scene, the wreckage, and initial patient observations helps us foresee potential injuries. A side-impact on a car, for instance, could suggest severe injuries to any passenger situated on the affected side. Our assessment commences well before we physically engage with the patient – it starts the moment we lay eyes on the scene, regardless of our mode of transportation, be it car, fire truck, ambulance, or helicopter.

Triaging: Setting Treatment Priorities

Upon interaction with patients, we conduct a meticulous, time-sensitive assessment, triaging the situation to spotlight the most critical injuries and determine our treatment course.