Available in 2024
Course code

TRAU6001

Units

10 units

Level

6000 level

Course handbook

Description

This course will provide the comprehensive foundation for the Master of Traumatology program by defining the discipline and defining the effects of injury on society. The course also serves as a background for the body region specific modules of the program by covering patients' journeys through the trauma system, including outcomes.


Availability2024 Course Timetables

Online

  • Semester 1 - 2024

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

1. analyse trauma systems and optimal prehospital, emergency and ward care;

2. understand the outcomes of major trauma including extremes of age; and

3. be familiar with principles of quality assurance process and organisation of disaster response.


Content

The course will be organised into eight topics over 13 teaching weeks in one semester.

Week 1: Introduction;

  • What is Traumatology;
  • The global burden of trauma;
  • The history of trauma (war and civilian);
  • Blunt mechanisms of trauma; and
  • Penetrating trauma and ballistics.

Weeks 2 & 3: Prehospital care;

  • Models of prehospital care (volunteer, paramedic, medical);
  • Prehospital triage and destination protocols and their rationale;
  • The impact of aeromedical transport;
  • Prehospital factors and interventions/treatments - what makes a difference;
  • Prehospital procedures and medications; and
  • Other organ dysfunctions and their management.

Weeks 4 & 5: Outcomes;

  • Trauma scores for triage, injury severity and outcomes;
  • Trauma registries (hospital, regional, national, international);
  • Key performance indicators;
  • Short term outcomes; and
  • Long term outcomes.

Week 6: Injury prevention and rehabilitation;

  • Levels of prevention and relevance to trauma;
  • Prevention specific to mechanisms;
  • The effectiveness of injury prevention; and
  • Principles of major trauma rehabilitation.

Week 7: Definitions, levels of care;

  • Trauma system: inclusive and exclusive, components of the system;
  • Trauma centre: levels of care, designation and verification;
  • Trauma service: personnel, tasks and responsibilities; and
  • Trauma team: members, roles, team dynamics.

Weeks 8 & 9: Emergency department management;

  • Trauma team activation criteria, tiered response;
  • Trauma series: things to look for;
  • Key decisions to make during trauma resuscitation;
  • Selective imaging versus panscan or total body CT scan; and
  • Intra and interhospital transport.

Weeks 10 & 11: Continued care on ward and beyond;

  • The rationale for trauma ward and admitting team;
  • Trauma case management;
  • The role of physiotherapy and occupational therapy;
  • Acute operative phase, urgent procedures, operating room requirements;
  • Operative phases, timing of those; and
  • Discharge planning, outpatient follow-up.

Weeks 12 & 13: Special aspects of trauma care;

  • The organisation of paediatric trauma care;
  • Principles of mass casualty management;
  • Principles and levels of burn care;
  • Trauma nursing roles;
  • Considerations in geriatric trauma care; and
  • Pregnancy and trauma.

Further to the coursework you will be required to attend an intensive three-day face to face interactive workshop.


Assumed knowledge

Human anatomy, physiology and pathology.


Assessment items

Participation: Discussion Board
Compulsory Requirement: Submit assessment item - Must submit this assessment to pass the course.

Quiz: Multiple Choice Quiz: Part 1
Compulsory Requirement: Submit assessment item - Must submit this assessment to pass the course.

Quiz: Multiple Choice Quiz: Part 2
Compulsory Requirement: Submit assessment item - Must submit this assessment to pass the course.

Quiz: Multiple Choice Quiz: Part 3
Compulsory Requirement: Submit assessment item - Must submit this assessment to pass the course.

Quiz: Multiple Choice Quiz: Part 4
Compulsory Requirement: Submit assessment item - Must submit this assessment to pass the course.

Written Assignment: Paper Upload and Summary
Compulsory Requirement: Submit assessment item - Must submit this assessment to pass the course.


Contact hours

Semester 1 - 2024 - Online

Online Activity-2
  • Online 10 hour(s) per week(s) for 13 week(s) starting in week 1

Course outline