Your patient is at their healthiest as they roll in through the emergency department door
Yes, major trauma patients are sick, but they are going to get sicker over the next few hours to days. No matter how bad they look now, they will tolerate more at the time you first see them than they will tomorrow.
Too often, we look at them and delay because “they are too sick to operate.” This is usually not the case.
Bottom line: Move quickly, get surgical clearances done promptly, and perform all interventions (especially major surgery) early before your trauma patient gets really sick!
Other Laws of Trauma:
- The first law
- The second law
- The third law
- The fourth law
- The fifth law
- The sixth law
- The seventh law
