Casualty Assessment
Perform a Casualty Assessment
Introduction On the battlefield, rapid systematic assessment of a casualty increases the likelihood that life threatening injuries are identified and prioritized. If life threatening injuries are identified during the assessment, life saving treatment and interventions can be initiated immediately. As a review the A-B-C’s are the first step in an initial assessment. This handout outlines assessment techniques and reassessment interventions and how to perform a casualty assessment in a combat environment.
Determine threats in the area near the casualty The medic situational assessment differs from the civilian scene size-up in that it centers around an awareness of the tactical …show more content…
(b) Can you hear the casualty breathing?
(c) Can you feel the casualty breathing?
(d) Regular & full = Normal
(e) Labored, shallow, rapid, or irregular or absent = Abnormal
(2) Assist ventilations if abnormal breathing Assess circulation
(1) Does the casualty have a pulse?
(a) Palpate and compare the carotid and radial pulse in the adult and child casualty, and auscultate the apical pulse in the infant casualty
(b) Full & regular = normal
(c) Weak, thready, irregular = abnormal
(d) Capillary Blanch Test
(2) Both pulses absent, start CPR. In a combat situation with multiple casualties, there may be limited opportunities to initiate CPR.
(3) Do not start CPR on a soldier who has been shot and is in cardiopulmonary arrest except on a very limited basis Assess disability/neurological status
(1) Level of mental status: Level of mental status has partially been assessed in the medic's general impression and airway assessment using
AVPU:
(a) Alert (awake and oriented)
(b) Verbal - responds to verbal stimuli (awake but confused/unconscious but responds in some …show more content…
(1) Remove equipment and clothing (Except in a NBC environment or field of fire) from area around wound
(2) Identify additional life-threatening injuries
Obtaining an AMPLE history Allergies
(1) Primarily to medications, also environmental allergies
(2) Check ID tag to see if red allergy tag is affixed Medication
(1) Prescribed medication
(2) Over-the-counter medication Pertinent medical history: Associated injuries/complications Last oral intake Events preceding incident: "What were you doing at the time of injury?“ Identify immediate life-threatening injury(ies) Control life-threatening hemorrhage
(1) Direct pressure
(2) Pressure dressing/pressure points
(3) Tourniquet Treat for shock
(1) Provide supplemental oxygen
(2) Consider intravenous fluids
(a) Utilize to reverse, or stabilize, effects of hypovolemia
(b) Should not delay direct transport or oxygen interventions Provide airway/breathing support
(1) Manual maneuvers
(2) Airway adjuncts
(3) Proper positioning
(4) Provide supplemental oxygen: Assist
Introduction On the battlefield, rapid systematic assessment of a casualty increases the likelihood that life threatening injuries are identified and prioritized. If life threatening injuries are identified during the assessment, life saving treatment and interventions can be initiated immediately. As a review the A-B-C’s are the first step in an initial assessment. This handout outlines assessment techniques and reassessment interventions and how to perform a casualty assessment in a combat environment.
Determine threats in the area near the casualty The medic situational assessment differs from the civilian scene size-up in that it centers around an awareness of the tactical …show more content…
(b) Can you hear the casualty breathing?
(c) Can you feel the casualty breathing?
(d) Regular & full = Normal
(e) Labored, shallow, rapid, or irregular or absent = Abnormal
(2) Assist ventilations if abnormal breathing Assess circulation
(1) Does the casualty have a pulse?
(a) Palpate and compare the carotid and radial pulse in the adult and child casualty, and auscultate the apical pulse in the infant casualty
(b) Full & regular = normal
(c) Weak, thready, irregular = abnormal
(d) Capillary Blanch Test
(2) Both pulses absent, start CPR. In a combat situation with multiple casualties, there may be limited opportunities to initiate CPR.
(3) Do not start CPR on a soldier who has been shot and is in cardiopulmonary arrest except on a very limited basis Assess disability/neurological status
(1) Level of mental status: Level of mental status has partially been assessed in the medic's general impression and airway assessment using
AVPU:
(a) Alert (awake and oriented)
(b) Verbal - responds to verbal stimuli (awake but confused/unconscious but responds in some …show more content…
(1) Remove equipment and clothing (Except in a NBC environment or field of fire) from area around wound
(2) Identify additional life-threatening injuries
Obtaining an AMPLE history Allergies
(1) Primarily to medications, also environmental allergies
(2) Check ID tag to see if red allergy tag is affixed Medication
(1) Prescribed medication
(2) Over-the-counter medication Pertinent medical history: Associated injuries/complications Last oral intake Events preceding incident: "What were you doing at the time of injury?“ Identify immediate life-threatening injury(ies) Control life-threatening hemorrhage
(1) Direct pressure
(2) Pressure dressing/pressure points
(3) Tourniquet Treat for shock
(1) Provide supplemental oxygen
(2) Consider intravenous fluids
(a) Utilize to reverse, or stabilize, effects of hypovolemia
(b) Should not delay direct transport or oxygen interventions Provide airway/breathing support
(1) Manual maneuvers
(2) Airway adjuncts
(3) Proper positioning
(4) Provide supplemental oxygen: Assist