Trauma Team
The trauma team is led by a trauma surgeon and contains a group of
healthcare professionals. The team is organized to provide care for
trauma patients in a coordinated and timely manner.
The Trauma Response Team
When a trauma patient is brought to Iowa Methodist or Blank Children's, the following Trauma Response Team is assembled to respond the patients' needs:
- Trauma surgeon
- Emergency physician
- Surgery resident physicians
- Emergency room, critical care and operating room staff
- Anesthesia
- Blood Bank and laboratory technologist
- Respiratory therapist
- Radiology technologist
- Security officers
- Chaplain and social workers
Members from this team remain with the
patient until he or she is transferred from the emergency department to the operating room, critical
care unit or surgical floor.
The Multidisciplinary Trauma Team
The trauma team continues to care for the critically injured patients
during their hospital stay. The team is a surgeon-led multidisciplinary
team that cares for all trauma patients once they have been admitted to
the hospital and life saving procedures have been completed. This team approach to the care of critically injured or surgical patients has been proven to lessen healthcare expenses and
is critical to provider minute-to-minute care and decrease the risks of
complications. Every member of the team contributes to patient care
through daily collaboration and team visits. The team includes:
- Trauma surgeon
- Surgery resident physician
- Trauma pharmacist
- Trauma nurse practitioner
- Dietitian
- Respiratory therapist
- Rehabilitation specialists
- Case manager and social workers
- Nurses and staff
- Patient and their family members
Leadership
The Trauma Team at Iowa Methodist and Blank Children's are actively involved in trauma leadership roles across the state and country. Our team has representation on the following teams, committees and/or associations:
- Iowa State Chair, American College of Surgeon Committee on Trauma
- Chair, Rural Trauma Team Development Course Committee, American College of Surgeon Committee on Trauma
- Instructor & Course Director, Advanced Trauma Life Support
- Instructor, Advanced Trauma Operative Management
- Instructor & Course Director, Rural Trauma Team Development Course
- State of Iowa Trauma System Evaluation & Quality Improvement Committee
- President of the Iowa Trauma Coordinators
- Society of Trauma Nurses
- Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
- ENA Representative for the State of Iowa TSAC (Trauma System Advisory Council)
- State of Iowa Trauma Verification Team
- Iowa Organization of Nurse Executives
- ThinkFirst
- Iowa Falls Coalition Committee
Trauma Surgeons
There are five full-time trauma surgeons who are dedicated to the service of patients with critical care needs. The trauma surgeon is responsible for the initial resuscitation and stabilization of the patient, as well as ongoing evaluation. The attending trauma surgeon also leads the trauma team, which typically includes nurses, resident physicians, and support staff.
Learn more about our trauma surgeons: