During the session, we looked at the different acronyms related to emergency trauma and what needs to be included in the emergency action plan (EAP). We also did a run through of what needs to be in the pitch side bag.

The first acronym we considered was ABCDE which is what the primary survey is considered to me made up of; airways, breathing, circulation, disability and everything else. ATMIST is what you will be asked by the emergency services over the phone. It consists of allergies, time of injury, mechanism of injury, injury suspected, sign and symptoms, as well as treatment given. SAMPLE is considered the secondary survey and stands for signs and symptoms, allergies, medication, past medical history, last meal eaten and environment.

When looking at the EAP, we can consider it as a flow diagram by breaking it down into individual sections. Factors that need to be considered include date, time and venue. These headings can be split further and can consist of defibrillator location, where the nearest hospital is (minor injuries and A&E) and which players on the bench are going to be spotters, in case the therapist misses an injury. It is important to check the pitch side bags to make sure all equipment is present, in case something happens while on pitch side. If something was to happen and you had the incorrect equipment, it would slow down the procedure and could be life threatening in some cases therefore, it is important to have the correct equipment so you can act as fast as possible, while being efficient.

Areas for further improvement 

My first area for further improvement would be to ensure that before every BUCs game, I fill out the EAP. This is so that every member of the medical team is aware of their role, if any incidence was to occur. Another improvement for me would be to practice and perfect the ABCDE primary survey, so that if an incident was to arise, I would be able to deal with it safely and efficiently. Finally, I need to ensure that I communicate effectively with the other therapists that are present on pitch side, so each person knows what there responsible for.

Things to Remember:

1. If a catastrophic bleed is present, deal with this before any other part of the primary survey (ABCDE)
2. With airways, it is important to look, listen and feel for any differences, which may be abnormal
3. When checking the causalities airways, if gurgling is heard, liquid is the blockage, where as if snoring is present assume it is a solid
4. After any incidents occur, an accident report form needs to be filled in