Chest Trauma

Chest trauma is well recognised to occur following high velocity trauma such as traffic related injury, but frequently occurs as the result of falls and low velocity injury in the elderly (Curtis et al. 2016).

The management of chest trauma has demonstrated the need for multi-modal care, including pain relief, physiotherapy, respiratory interventions and more recently the options for surgical stabilisation (Barrett-Connor et al. 2010)(Kourouche et al. 2018).

Training resource kits

Each kit is a collection of tools and resources to guide the effective delivery of a trauma education event. The kits are designed for use in any Queensland Health facility and can be modified by the facilitator to the needs of the learner, as well as the environment in which the education is being delivered.

Immersive scenario

Delayed respiratory deterioration post blunt chest trauma

This resource kit provides healthcare workers with useful resources and key practice points to assist them to identify and manage respiratory complications in patients following blunt chest trauma injuries.

Duration: 45-60 minutes

Target Audience: Ward-based nursing and physiotherapy clinicians.

Blunt chest trauma

This resource kit provides healthcare workers with the skills and knowledge to effectively assess and manage a patient suffering blunt chest trauma injuries. The scenario encompasses the decision making and procedural skill for insertion of an intercostal catheter to manage a traumatic haemo-pneumothorax.

Duration: 45-60 minutes

Target Audience: Emergency department medical and nursing clinicians.

Penetrating chest trauma

This resource kit provides healthcare workers with the skills to assess and manage low velocity penetrating chest wall trauma. The scenario encompasses the decision making and procedural skill for insertion of an intercostal catheter to manage a traumatic haemo-pneumothorax.

Duration: 45-60 minutes

Target Audience: Emergency department medical and nursing clinicians.

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Procedural skill

Intercostal catheter insertion

This resource kit provides healthcare workers with knowledge of the technical skills required for the insertion of an intercostal catheter (ICC) for the management of haemothorax or pneumothorax following trauma.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Target Audience: Medical clinicians.

Invasive ventilation strategies

This resource kit provides the learner with the opportunity to explore ventilation strategies for different trauma presentations.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Target Audience: Medical and nursing clinicians.

Case discussion

Intercostal catheter and chest drain management

This resource kit provides healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills on how to optimise the management of a patient with an ICC and chest drainage systems following a traumatic chest injury.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Target Audience: Medical, nursing, and allied health clinicians.

Intercostal catheter insertion and removal

This resource kit provides healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to perform the insertion of an intercostal catheter (ICC) to manage a patient with blunt chest trauma, including the indications and considerations for ICC placement.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Target Audience: Emergency department medical, nursing and allied health clinicians.

Chest trauma management

This resource kit provides an opportunity to explore the assessment and management of patients who sustain chest trauma.

Duration: 20 minutes.

Target Audience: Emergency department nursing clinicians.

Clinical guidelines

Links to relevant clinical guidelines

CPG: Clinical Practice Guidelines – Queensland Ambulance Service

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) have advice and recommendations to help guide clinical decision making and optimise patient care and safety.

Blunt Chest Trauma – Clinical Excellence

Clinical Excellence Queensland’s Blunt Chest Trauma CPG – Blunt chest trauma refers to any injury of the chest wall or within the thoracic cavity arising from a blunt mechanism or force.

Chest Trauma – Queensland Aeromedical

Queensland Aeromedical’s Standard Operating Procedure for Chest Trauma

Other resources

Other resources and tools on the topic of chest trauma.

Clinical resources

Flowcharts

Videos

Chest assessment and imaging

An education session for ward nurses that reviews the relevant chest anatomy for assessment of patients with suspected blunt chest trauma

Chest injury rehabilitation and intercostal catheter management

An education session that discusses chest injury rehabilitation

Chest injury management – regional analgesia and surgical intervention

An education session for ward nurses that discusses benefits, adjuncts, and problems of regional analgesia.

Intercostal catheter insertion and management

A selection of Queensland Trauma Education Videos on the insertion and management of intercostal catheters. Videos included:

How to use Airlife

How to teach Airlife Incentive Spirometer by Queensland Trauma Education

How to use Triflo

How to teach Triflo Incentive Spirometer by Queensland Trauma Education


Last updated: October 15, 2024