A young male was rushed to the ER recently after being brutally attacked and suffering seven stab wounds. I don't know the details that led up to the attack.I was on call today and during a slow time, I went to the ICU where this young man was still in very critical, but miraculously fairly stable condition. He had deep cuts; 5 of them along the right posterior axillary region, 1 deep cut along the right anterior axillary region, and a 7cm laceration on the left frontal side of his head.
7cm is about -----------------------------------------------------
In the ICU, he was connected to a ventilator that was breathing for him. He had a nasogastric tube for feeding. He had an IV for fluids because he was losing so much blood that he was tachycardic (fast heart rate); the IV was also administering a medicine that kept our patient sedated and also a medicine (Morphine) to dull the pain. There was a tube inserted into his right lower thorax to drain the blood that was accumulating due to the stab wound and to help reinflate the lung after it collapsed (pneumothorax) by creating negative pressure in the thorax the way your diaphragm usually does. There was another tube inserted into his abdomen to drain the blood that was collecting there. And there was a catheter to drain his urine...but the urine was also fairly red with blood.
He had already had 4 units of blood transfused and more was on the way. They had also ordered FFP (Fresh Frozen Plasma) to help replenish the platelets and other necessary cells that help your blood clot.
He was still bleeding from his wounds.
And I, seeing my first full-blown trauma case with full explanation, was in shock. The RN (Registered Nurse - I always ask Nurses for explanations and tips on how to do procedures because they explain it WAY better than the Doctors and are usually more patient with me) asked me to do an ABG (see post below for explanation of ABG). I couldn't find his pulse at first because it was threading - coming in and out because his blood pressure was so low. I finally found it and got the blood - I found out later that his ABG levels were acceptable, a small victory.
Let us pray that he makes it through this painful ordeal.
I do pray the young man makes it thru this tramatic ordeal...Do you find trama work challenging or too stressful?
ReplyDeleteHi Dianne!
ReplyDeleteWell, I haven't had to handle the actual intake of a trauma patient as of yet. I would imagine, however, that for the front line trauma Doctors, this would be a challenging and stressful job!