Trauma Guideline Manual - SUNY Upstate Medical University

28____________ Trauma Guideline ManualUpstate Medial University Trauma CenterOPERATIONAL GUIDELINES: OPERATING ROOM NOTIFICATIONOBJECTIVE:To define a mechanism to notify the operating room of the need to transfer a patient for animmediate surgical procedure.GUIDELINES:1. Follow ATLS Guidelines for initial resuscitation.2. The OR charge nurse will carry a “Trauma Code” pager.3. The OR charge nurse will call the Chief trauma resident 15 minutes after the arrival of thepatients for all Level 1 Trauma Codes to inquire about OR necessity.4. When the need for emergent or urgent operative intervention is determined, contact theoperating room representative (usually the OR charge nurse). The OR representative willcall the Chief anesthesia resident on-call.5. The following information will be conveyed:a. Patient name and hospital number, ageb. Attending surgeonc. Type of procedure to be performed (eg., laparotomy, thoracotomy, neck exploration,etc.).d. The need for the cell saver (yes or no).e. The approximate time that the procedure should be performed (now, 5 minutes, 15minutes, etc.).f. Any other information (special equipment, cell-saver, x-ray, etc.).g. “Warm the room”6. The OR charge nurse will call anesthesia and notify them of the case with the followinginformation:a. All of the above informationb. IV line locations, are they workingc. Hemodynamic stabilityd. How much fluid and blood has been givene. Anticipated findings at surgery (eg, big blood loss, little blood loss).f. Any special anesthesia equipment or procedure needed (eg. Pulmonary arterycatheter, A-line, TEE, double lumen endotracheal tube, etc.)7. Once the need for emergent operation has been made, proceed as quickly as possible tothe operating room. REMEMBER – anything that can be done in the ED can also be donein the OR and more! Time to definitive care is the fundamental concept.