Trauma
Fall
ED triage front-load checklist
Lead with the essentials
- 1Cause/mechanism
- 2Mechanical vs medical
- 3Head strike
- 4LOC/amnesia
- 5Anticoagulant/antiplatelet use
- 6Injuries
- 7Neck/back pain
- 8Able to weight-bear
- 9If hip: shortening/external rotation and distal CSM
- 10Down time
Key points
- Cause/mechanism?
- Mechanical vs medical?
- Head strike?
- LOC/amnesia?
- Anticoagulant/antiplatelet use?
- Injuries?
- Neck/back pain?
- Able to weight-bear?
- If hip: shortening/external rotation and distal CSM.
- Down time?
- Baseline mobility.
Triage report example
Front-loaded fall handover
“78-year-old female from home, normally independent, after a ground-level mechanical fall at 1030. No LOC, positive head strike, on apixaban, GCS 15 throughout. Primary injury is left hip with shortening and external rotation; distal CSM intact. Hemodynamically stable by serial vitals; pain improved from 8/10 to 4/10 after analgesia.”