ATLS Course

Lesson 1 • Trauma Epidemiology and Impact

Covers injury burden, mortality patterns, and preventable death data. Contextualises why systematic trauma care protocols exist.

Lesson 2 • ATLS Philosophy and Framework

Introduces treat-first, diagnose-second philosophy and the primary-secondary survey model. Anchors all subsequent clinical decision-making.

Lesson 3 • Triage Concepts and Prioritisation

Teaches START triage, mass casualty sorting, and resource allocation logic. Prepares learners to prioritise when resources are limited.

Lesson 4 • Mechanism of Injury Principles

Explains kinetic energy transfer, blunt versus penetrating forces, and injury pattern prediction. Guides anticipatory assessment throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Surgical Airway Access

Teaches cricothyrotomy indications and technique for cannot-intubate, cannot-oxygenate scenarios. Serves as the rescue intervention when all other methods fail.

Lesson 2 • Basic Airway Manoeuvres

Covers jaw thrust, chin lift, and adjunct insertion for immediate obstruction relief. These are the first-line skills applied before advanced techniques.

Lesson 3 • Rapid Sequence Intubation

Details RSI drug selection, preoxygenation, and laryngoscopy technique for trauma patients. Represents the primary definitive airway method in ATLS.

Lesson 4 • Supraglottic and Bag-Mask Ventilation

Teaches bag-mask ventilation technique and supraglottic device placement as bridge strategies. Connects basic manoeuvres to definitive airway management.

Lesson 1 • Respiratory Assessment Techniques

Teaches inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation in the trauma context. Systematic clinical signs drive immediate intervention decisions.

Lesson 2 • Flail Chest and Pulmonary Contusion

Explains paradoxical chest wall motion and underlying lung injury management. Addresses injuries requiring ventilatory support beyond simple drainage.

Lesson 3 • Thoracic Anatomy for Trauma

Reviews chest wall, pleural space, and mediastinal anatomy relevant to injury. Provides structural context for interpreting breath sounds and imaging.

Lesson 4 • Haemothorax and Open Chest Wounds

Covers massive haemothorax diagnosis, drainage, and open pneumothorax sealing. Builds on decompression skills to address blood-related thoracic emergencies.

Lesson 1 • Haemorrhagic Shock Classification

Defines four classes of haemorrhagic shock by physiologic parameters and estimated blood loss. Classification directly guides resuscitation aggressiveness.

Lesson 2 • Damage Control Resuscitation

Introduces permissive hypotension, massive transfusion protocols, and balanced blood product ratios. Represents current evidence-based approach to haemorrhagic shock management.

Lesson 3 • External Haemorrhage Control

Teaches direct pressure, wound packing, tourniquet application, and junctional haemorrhage control. These skills stop compressible bleeding before resuscitation begins.

Lesson 4 • Identifying Non-Compressible Haemorrhage

Teaches recognition of internal bleeding sources in chest, abdomen, pelvis, and long bones. Bridges haemorrhage control to surgical and interventional decision-making.

Lesson 1 • Pupillary and Focal Neurologic Exam

Covers pupil size, reactivity, and asymmetry interpretation alongside focal deficit identification. Findings indicate herniation risk and guide imaging urgency.

Lesson 2 • Spinal Immobilisation and Clearance

Covers indications for spinal immobilisation, collar application, and clinical clearance criteria. Balances injury protection against complications of prolonged immobilisation.

Lesson 3 • Spinal Cord Injury Assessment

Teaches ASIA classification, sensory and motor level determination, and spinal shock recognition. Accurate level determination guides immobilisation and surgical planning.

Lesson 4 • Traumatic Brain Injury Management

Addresses mild, moderate, and severe TBI classification and initial neuroprotective interventions. Prevents secondary brain injury through oxygenation, pressure, and glucose control.

Lesson 1 • Chest and Abdomen Secondary Survey

Covers rib palpation, epigastric assessment, and abdominal tenderness mapping. Findings determine need for imaging or operative intervention.

Lesson 2 • Head and Neck Secondary Survey

Guides systematic examination of scalp, face, orbits, ears, and cervical structures. Identifies injuries missed during the rapid primary survey.

Lesson 3 • AMPLE History and Adjuncts

Covers AMPLE history collection and use of adjunct studies including FAST and X-rays. Integrates history and diagnostics to complete the clinical picture.

Lesson 4 • Complete Exposure and Hypothermia Prevention

Covers full clothing removal, environmental control, and warming strategies in trauma. Hypothermia worsens coagulopathy, making prevention integral to resuscitation.

Lesson 1 • Burns and Blast Injuries

Addresses burn surface area estimation, fluid resuscitation formulas, and blast injury patterns. These mechanisms produce multi-system injuries requiring simultaneous management.

Lesson 2 • Paediatric Trauma Adaptations

Covers age-based anatomic differences, weight-based drug dosing, and paediatric airway management. Children have distinct injury patterns requiring modified equipment and thresholds.

Lesson 3 • Trauma in Pregnancy

Teaches uterine displacement, fetal monitoring priorities, and perimortem caesarean indications. Maternal resuscitation is the primary strategy for fetal survival.

Lesson 4 • Geriatric Trauma Considerations

Addresses physiologic reserve reduction, medication effects, and atypical shock presentation in elderly patients. Geriatric patients deteriorate faster with narrower intervention windows.

Lesson 1 • Damage Control Surgery Principles

Covers abbreviated laparotomy, temporary closure, and ICU resuscitation before definitive repair. Applies when physiology cannot tolerate prolonged operative intervention.

Lesson 2 • Trauma Imaging Decision Framework

Guides selective versus pan-scan CT use, plain film indications, and radiation risk balancing. Imaging choices must be justified by clinical findings and haemodynamic stability.

Lesson 3 • Transfer Criteria and Protocols

Defines when and how to transfer patients to higher-level trauma centres with appropriate stabilization. Timely transfer prevents undertriage at lower-resource facilities.

Lesson 4 • Operative Versus Non-Operative Decisions

Teaches criteria for emergent surgery, angioembolisation, and observation-based management. Decision logic synthesises haemodynamic status, imaging, and injury pattern data.