Number of Courses:  One Live 2-Hour Class
Credit Awarded:  2 Hours
Credit Type: Advanced
Accredited: IBSC, CAPCE (F5-VILT), CE Broker (FL & TN), Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS, and Virginia Office of EMS
Enrollment Period:  One year or until completed, whichever comes first
Topics: Trauma

This CE activity is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education for a total of 2 Paramedic Critical Care CEH.

Are you in need of a few critical care hours to round out your FP-C or CCP-C recertification? Or just want something different to put towards your NRP recertification? This individual Critical Care course will meet those needs.

IBSC Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification APPROVED!

Want to see when classes are offered, click here DistanceCME Course Calendar

Topics covered in this Live CCTR L10

  • Trauma (2 hr)

If you need more than a few hours, this program is perfect for your continuing education: Critical Care Transport Review. The Critical Care Transport program can also be used for your NREMT Recertification.

Course Overview
Traumatic injuries can threaten ventilation and perfusion even when external findings appear limited. This comprehensive course reviews abdominal, thoracic, and musculoskeletal trauma alongside burn assessment and management. Participants connect mechanisms of injury with patient presentation, explore the recognition of concealed hemorrhage and shock, and review stabilization priorities for injured patients in the critical care transport environment.

Abdominal Trauma & Internal Hemorrhage
Learners examine abdominal anatomy and the potential consequences of injury to solid and hollow organs. The course explores how bleeding into the abdominal cavity or retroperitoneal space can produce significant circulatory compromise with few visible signs. Participants also review peritoneal irritation, abdominal pain patterns, and assessment findings such as guarding, distension, bruising, and changes in patient behavior.

Abdominal Assessment & Injury Management
This section reviews assessment of blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma, including relevant mechanism details and examination findings. Participants explore care considerations for evisceration, impaled objects, and suspected diaphragmatic injury. The course also addresses abdominal trauma in pregnancy, monitoring, pain management, and the importance of timely transport to an appropriate trauma center.

Thoracic Trauma & Respiratory Compromise
Participants examine how chest injuries interfere with ventilation, gas exchange, and circulation. The course reviews assessment findings associated with pneumothorax, hemothorax, pulmonary contusion, and chest wall injury. Learners connect changes in respiratory effort, chest movement, mental status, and perfusion with the need for prompt recognition and supportive care.

Traumatic Cardiac Injuries
Learners review cardiac tamponade, myocardial contusion, and commotio cordis. The course explores how traumatic injury can impair cardiac filling, disrupt rhythm, or lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Participants examine relevant assessment and monitoring findings while reviewing the role of circulatory support, early defibrillation when indicated, and rapid access to definitive care.

Burn Depth & Systemic Effects
This section examines burn mechanisms, depth classification, and the zones of tissue injury surrounding a burn. Participants explore the consequences of skin damage, including fluid loss, temperature instability, infection risk, and burn shock. The course connects local tissue injury with systemic effects and reviews factors that influence burn severity and the need for specialty care.

Inhalation Injury & Smoke Exposure
Participants review findings that may suggest airway involvement, including voice changes, facial burns, and soot in the airway. The course examines the respiratory and toxic effects of smoke exposure, with attention to carbon monoxide and cyanide. Learners also explore limitations of conventional pulse oximetry in carbon monoxide exposure and the importance of continued airway assessment.

Burn Resuscitation & Pain Management
Learners examine fluid resuscitation considerations for patients with significant burns, including the role of estimated body surface area and formula-based calculations. The course also reviews pain assessment and analgesia as components of burn care. Emphasis remains on recognizing circulatory compromise and supporting the patient while arranging appropriate transport.

Musculoskeletal Injuries & Supportive Care
This section reviews fractures, dislocations, sprains, and strains, connecting direct and indirect forces with common injury patterns. Participants examine findings such as deformity, swelling, tenderness, shortening, and abnormal rotation. The course addresses splinting, cold application, and analgesic options as measures to reduce pain and support injured extremities.

Clinical Integration
Throughout the course, injury mechanisms and examination findings are linked to stabilization and transport priorities. Participants review airway support, hemorrhage control, and monitoring for evolving respiratory or circulatory compromise. The course emphasizes maintaining a broad assessment when multiple injuries may coexist and recognizing when a patient requires trauma or burn specialty resources.

Who Should Take This Course?
This course is designed for paramedics involved in critical care transport who are seeking a review of abdominal, thoracic, and musculoskeletal trauma and burn management. As Lesson 10 of the Critical Care Transport Review series, it supports the recognition of serious injury, initial stabilization, and ongoing assessment during transport.