Table 1 Children’s Medical Center Dallas trauma activation criteria

Trauma Stat

Traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest from penetrating trauma

Traumatic injury with signs of shock

Penetrating injuries to the head, neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis (excludes lacerations in the stable patient)

Respiratory distress secondary to trauma, respiratory compromise/obstruction and/or intubation on scene

Neurological injury with a GCS equal to or less than 8 without sedation

Suspected spinal cord injury: associated with flaccidity, are flexia or unexplained hypotension

Crush or Amputation proximal to the wrist or ankle with signs of shock

Any trauma transfer with respiratory and/or hemodynamic instability and/or GCS equal to or less than 8 without sedation or paralytics and/or patients receiving blood to maintain vital signs

Any intubated trauma transfer

Emergency physician’s discretion

Trauma Alert

Traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest from blunt trauma

Motor Vehicle Crashes (includes ATV’s) with reported history of: ejection of the patient from the vehicle, prolonged extrication (> 20 minutes), a rollover collision, death of an occupant in same vehicle

Neurological injuries with a GCS of 9 to 14

Hanging or strangulation mechanisms

Auto-Pedestrian or Auto-Bike Crashes involving speeds equal to or greater than 20 mph

Falls greater than 2nd story or 20 feet

Bilateral femur fractures or 3 or more long bone fractures

Crush injuries to chest or abdomen

Crush or Amputation injuries proximal to the wrist or ankle in the stable patient with fracture or significant tissue loss

Significant lacerations to head or neck in the stable patient

 - Lacerations that are deep or with significant tissue loss

Any transfer with a grade IV solid organ injury or two or more solid organ injuries

Trauma Consult

Child abuse cases to be admitted

Any trauma related injury where two or more systems are involved

Any patient that has a single system injury that requires admission and the mechanism is an MVC, MPC, ATV