01 Jul
1st July 2015
ATLS® is a multidisciplinary course enabling a standardised language of trauma care across the specialties. The aim of The ATLS® is to teach a simple systematic approach to the management of trauma patients through interactive tutorials, skills teaching and simulated patient management scenarios. Attendance at the course also exposes the candidate to a network of motivated colleagues with an enthusiasm for trauma management. The ATLS® course was developed by the American College of Surgeons and has now been adopted in over 60 countries worldwide.
ATLS® teaches a safe reliable method for immediate management of the injured trauma patient. ATLS® is a multidisciplinary course enabling a standardised language of trauma care across the specialties.
Content
The ATLS® course covers a range of procedures and topics including:
- Initial assessment and management
- Airway and ventilatory management
- Abdominal and pelvic shock
- Thoracic trauma
- Trauma – head, spine, musculoskeletal
- Spinal Immobilisation
- Secondary survey, head to toe exam, patient transfer
- Spinal assessment/x-rays
- Primary survey x-rays
- Cricothyroidotomy/chest decompression/pericardiocentesis
- Application of pelvic binder
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate the concepts and principles of the primary and secondary patient assessments.
- Establish management priorities in a trauma situation.
- Initiate primary and secondary management necessary within the golden hour for the emergency management of acute life threatening conditions.
- In a given simulated clinical and surgical skills practicum, demonstrate a range of skills, which are often required in the initial assessment and treatment of patients with multiple injuries
Target Audience / Suitability
FY2, CT1-2 (ST1-2) and SAS Grades.
FY1 are not eligible to attend this course.
Format
This is a highly-interactive course combining lectures, discussions, interactive tutorials, skills teaching and simulated patient management scenarios (moulage).
There are continual assessments throughout the course. Pre-course reading is essential to be able to participate fully in the course. Candidates receive the ATLS® manual.
Additional Information
ATLS course information designed to assist regional centre coordinators can be found here.
ATLS is a multidisciplinary course enabling a standardised language of trauma care across the specialties. Attendance at the course also exposes the candidate to a network of motivated colleagues with an enthusiasm for trauma management.
Delegate Feedback
‘This is a good course for junior trainees to get a handle on the issues related to the management of trauma. The ABCDE approach attaches logic and structure. For myself the orthopaedic aspects and x-ray interpretation stations were very useful as these have not been covered since I was at medical school.’
‘The faculty were wonderful at demystifying the intricacies of trauma life support and I feel the skills learnt on the course are ones I can definitely use in my everyday career, particularly when on call’
More information
For more information please see the College website.