Discussion
motor vehicle crashes, bleeding, NASEM, hemorrhage, deaths, trauma
HEMORRHAGE, BLEEDING
In the present study, it was found that the most common cause of blunt trauma included motor vehicle crashes and of penetrating trauma included gunshot wounds/stabbings. The source of hemorrhage for most patients was the abdomen, chest, and/or a limb/extremity. Roughly one-third of patients required at least one prehospital intervention including tourniquet placement for hemorrhage control. Patients in the current study also experienced a median wait time of six minutes for EMS to arrive and a median of 60 minutes until reaching definitive care, presenting a significant delay in care.These findings are consistent with the existing, limited epidemiological studies on trauma and support the need for early bystander intervention. The National Academies of Sciences (NASEM; Washington, DC USA) estimated that 20% of trauma-related deaths may have been preventable with receipt of “optimal trauma care” and noted that the “greatest opportunity to save lives” is in the prehospital setting.Patients with life-threatening hemorrhage may lose their entire circulating blood volume in under five minutes,Though refresher training is required every two years to maintain CPR certification,Feedback from STB participants across multiple studies indicate an appreciation of the significance of bleeding control training, confidence in the ability to intervene when necessary and willingness to do so, and the desire for regular refresher training.