trauma activation and stratification

[John Stryker RN MS CNS]

I wanted to know what other trauma centers do when they get radio/tele/phone calls for trauma and they take first report.



I have worked in one hospital where the nurse taking report from the paramedics would classify the trauma based on criteria of badness, and then it would be activated and paged out.  We had three levels, the first based purely on mechanism (MVC with rollover, Ped vs. auto, GSW to extremity), the second was mechanism and/or worrisome vital signs (GSW to chest, Fall > than 20 feet, HR > 100, GCS < 13 etc.), and the third was very bad vitals (BP < 90, GCS < 8, HR > 120).



I now work in a hospital which does not stratify the traumas and the trauma surgeons want a detailed report passed on to them.  Does anyone else do it this way, or do your nurses stratify and then activate based on criteria, before trauma hears about it?  Does anyone else have experience with it both ways, or worked to change from one to the other and what was your experience?



Thanks,

John Stryker
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  John Stryker
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  nursestryker at yahoo.com