Pre-hospital emergency medicine

This chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties explores the specialty of pre-hospital emergency medicine. It reviews pre-hospital emergency medicine in general, including activation of the emergency services and major trauma networks in the UK. It gives practical advice on assessment on arrival at the scene, hazards to consider, triage, and initial patient assessment before going into specifics including how to deal with shock, the entrapped patient, pre-hospital analgesia, splintage and manipulation, and injuries to the head, spine, and chest. It explores pre-hospital care of special interest groups and emergency anaesthesia, traumatic cardiac arrest, and how to approach a major incident. It investigates the importance of public health, and how to develop lasting resilience as a member of the pre-hospital emergency team.