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Trauma, often secondary to motor vehicle accidents, is not always included in Pathophysiology textbooks. It should. In 2018, accident-related deaths in the US was third most common cause:

What are the 12 Leading Causes of Death in the United States?

• Heart disease.
• Cancer.
• Accidents.
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases.
• Stroke.
• Alzheimer’s disease.
• Diabetes.
• Influenza and pneumonia.

Accidents, of course, by the very nature of the word, are preventable. Injuries related to accidents cause accident-specific related pathologies that everyone should know something about.

Watch this Trauma video from a trauma specialist.

Pay special attention to your role with the trauma patient, what you should, and should not do, as a layperson. Also, consider the precautions needed to stay safe in the event you should try to assist a trauma patient. Word of Warning: some of the slides are graphic, as they are accident related trauma. They are not appropriate for children. If you feel you may be disturbed, it is not necessary to actually watch the video; instead you will be able to complete this assignment by simply listening to the video.

Personalize a Trauma Preparedness Plan.

In this assignment you will:

• Summarize any personal history of trauma. (Remember, trauma takes many forms: physical violence, crashes, service-related, etc.)
• Reflect on the different type of trauma in the video
• Create a list of 5-10 different types of trauma
• Note safety precautions (if any) to avoid being a victim of trauma, along with what to do if you encounter the trauma (what TO DO, and what NOT TO DO)
• This assignment may take any form you wish, however a simple table would be best.