Trauma Team Leader

In this podcast episode, Dr. Scott Weingart discusses the role of the trauma team leader in emergency medicine and the importance of training residents in this role. He highlights that emergency medicine residents should be the ones learning to lead trauma teams, rather than general surgery residents, as general surgeons often have limited involvement in trauma cases. Scott and his colleague Chris Hicks have created a taxonomy of the skills and knowledge required for a trauma team leader, which they discuss in detail throughout the episode. The episode covers various aspects of being a trauma team leader, starting with the "zero point survey" where the team ensures safety, equipment availability, and team cohesion before the patient arrives. The trauma team leader stands at the foot of the bed to have control over the room and focuses on creating a calm and quiet environment. They emphasize the use of closed-loop communication and regular sit-reps to keep everyone informed and open to suggestions. The trauma team leader also assigns someone else to maintain awareness during procedures, using the concept of "eyes on, eyes off." The podcast delves into the role of the podium nurse as a partner to the trauma team leader, discussing their responsibilities such as running pre-briefings, coordinating tasks and equipment, and managing certain aspects like finger stick and tetanus. The trauma team leader is advised to stay out of procedures and assign others to take charge while maintaining situational control. The primary survey is explained, highlighting the key components: airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and environmental factors. Scott introduces the concept of "exsanguination" as an additional consideration in the primary survey. The podcast explores the need for advanced airway management and emphasizes the importance of using checklists and considering different intubation techniques based on the patient's condition. Monitoring is discussed, including the use of saturation, end-tidal CO2, and arterial lines. The podcast suggests considering temperature monitoring with a temperature foley catheter if available. The episode also covers assessing and managing hypotensive or malperfused patients, focusing on finding the source of bleeding through various assessments and imaging techniques. The podcast addresses chest decompression, emphasizing the trauma team leader's role in requesting the necessary equipment and ensuring the procedure is performed correctly. It also touches on establishing vascular access, the use of blood transfusions and tranexamic acid, and the importance of using appropriate transfusion devices. The episode highlights the significance of maintaining adequate calcium levels and suggests considering viscoelastic testing for guidance. The role of sedation and balancing blood pressure is discussed, with the aim of achieving a high-flow, low-pressure state. The podcast suggests using fentanyl or ketamine for sedation, considering paralysis if necessary. The importance of laboratory tests and the potential use of TEG and ROTEM for assessing coagulation status are also mentioned. Lastly, the podcast emphasizes the need to stabilize pelvic or femur injuries, discussing the use of binders or splints depending on the situation. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights into the responsibilities and considerations of a trauma team leader in emergency medicine, emphasizing the importance of training and equipping residents with the necessary skills for this role.