See…I Told You Newton Was Right
As EMS providers, we have a ton of stuff to remember when treating our patients. Here are some more things to think about when treating trauma patients. Understanding kinetics of trauma will help us to better treat those in our care. Understanding how energy is transferred during trauma will help you better assess your patients.
Objectives:
- Explain the principles of trauma kinetics and how Newton’s laws relate to traumatic injury.
- Describe how energy is transferred from an object or mechanism to the patient during traumatic events.
- Identify injury patterns associated with specific mechanisms of injury, including blunt, penetrating, and high-energy trauma.
- Apply knowledge of trauma kinetics to patient assessment to anticipate potential injuries, prioritize care, and identify hidden or life-threatening injuries.